NEW DELHI, June 30: Some 60 per cent of all announced international aid does not exist, global pressure group ActionAid said on Thursday, singling out the United States and France as the main culprits in ‘phantom’ aid.

A ‘classic example’ of real versus phantom aid is money pledged for victims of last year’s Asian tsunami disaster, John Samuel, Asia director of ActionAid International, told a news conference.

He cited Australia, which he said had so far only managed to give seven per cent of the money it had pledged. He also named France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United States as among other countries who have not delivered on their tsunami promises.

“In 2003, total aid announced by developed countries was 65 billion dollars, of which 50 billion dollars was (pledged) by the G7,” Mr Samuel said.

“How much money actually reached the receivers? Only 27 billion dollars, or just 0.1 per cent of the countries’ combined national income,” Mr Samuel said while releasing ‘RealAid’, a report on the status of global aid mechanism.

“For the United States and France, two of the world’s largest donors, almost 90 per cent of their contributions are phantom aid.”

The activist said figures quoted in the report were based on official data of aid given and aid received apart from field studies. These had been vetted by top experts.

“Over the last two years, most of the aid has been directed towards buying arms and ammunition,” Mr Samuel said. “As we speak today, 30,000 children are dying of malnourishment and 800 million are going hungry. We demand accountability and transparency from the G8.”

“Aid diversification for military purposes is being done by the donors, particularly the US, especially after 9/11,” he said.

The G8 countries — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and new entrant Russia – are due to hold a summit from July 6 to 8 in Scotland.

In a recent decision, the group decided to write off total debt of 18 poor nations, a move which organizations like ActionAid say was due to their pressure tactics.

Mr Samuel said more than 300,000 people are expected to take part in a ‘white-band’ protest in Edinburgh on Saturday as part of a ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign. —AFP