G-8 promises questioned

As the G-8 meets in Japan, the promises of its member countries are being questioned.


Aid to Africa

The AP reports,

An aid group founded by U2 frontman Bono calculates that the Group of Eight top industrialized nations has delivered only $3 billion of the additional $25 billion promised for Africa for everything from AIDS drugs to training peacekeepers.

Now the Africans and their allies want a new system to make sure rich nations come through.

“When the G-8 leaders make various commitments, it’s important to have a monitoring system,” said World Bank President Robert Zoellick, who joined the [G-8] talks. “I think countries need to deliver on their promises, and that was the tone that was generally set in the discussion.”

Charles Abani, regional director for Oxfam in Nigeria, said one problem was that countries recycle pledges, announcing aid in one area such as education, and then moving the same money to another area to meet new demands — meaning the total amount of money promised does not increase.

Climate

Ekkelsia reports,

Campaigners say that people living in poverty in developing nations will suffer from the worst effects of climate change. So, they have appealed to the G8 leaders to act on both climate change and aid to Africa.

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