Population in Africa

Madam, - It is interesting that nowhere in Bryan Mukandi's response to Kevin Myers (July 16th) does he address Myers's central point: the reckless population increases in Africa. How can we be surprised that Ethiopia is suffering from famine when its population is increasing by millions every year?

It is now expected to go from its present 78 million to a staggering 170 million by 2050, or even sooner. Is this not extraordinary, given the country's miserable condition?

And it is the same with other African countries, notably the Congo, which is undergoing a similar massive increase. But why does nobody address this: not Bono, nor the aid agencies, and not Bryan Mukandi?

Instead, we get the same old mantra about "curing" world poverty, and the need for us to continue aiding Africa, and somehow helping it to develop up to first world standards - when in fact we are doing the very opposite. And all of this is not even to mention what such "growth" is doing to the global environment. - Yours, etc,

EAMON DELANEY,

Phibsboro,

Dublin 7.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times