Mandela likens poverty to slavery

LONDON -- Nelson Mandela on Thursday compared widespread poverty in developing countries to man-made evils such as slavery and apartheid, and urged wealthy nations to do more to fight it.

At a rally in central London's Trafalgar Square, the Nobel Peace Prize winner and former South African president said developed nations must provide more aid to poor countries and lift their crippling debts.

"In this new century, millions of people in the world's poorest countries remain imprisoned, enslaved and in chains. They are trapped in the prison of poverty. It is time to set them free," Mandela said.

"Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings."

Mandela was speaking on the eve of a London meeting by the finance ministers of the Group of Seven industrialized nations. Mandela said he had been invited to meet with the ministers today and is expected to deliver a similar message.

On Wednesday, the frail 86-year-old statesman met with British Treasury chief Gordon Brown, and he was to meet Prime Minister Tony Blair later Thursday. Blair has made doubling development aid to Africa a priority for his chairmanship of the Group of Eight industrialized nations this year.

Brown is expected to use the meeting of G-7 finance ministers to get backing for the International Finance Facility plan, which seeks to raise $50 billion a year for development aid by selling bonds on the world's capital markets.

Mandela said developed nations know what needs to be done to fight the crisis, but they were falling far behind in their promises.

"The first (step) is ensuring trade justice," he said. "I have said before that trade justice is a truly meaningful way for the developed countries to show commitment to bringing about an end to global poverty. The second is an end to the debt crisis for the poorest countries. The third is to deliver much more aid and make sure it is of the highest quality."

Lindsay Martin, a 19-year-old British university student, said she hoped Mandela's inspirational message worked with her country's leaders.

"It would really be nice if Tony Blair could listen to public opinion," Martin said.

Mandela, who was jailed for 27 years under his country's apartheid laws, went on to become South Africa's first black president. He won praise last month for helping to break down stigma about AIDS after disclosing that his 54-year-old son died of the disease.