News | Sunday, 12 July 2009

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G8 pledges €14bn for Africa, environmentalists disappointed

David Darmanin
The 35th G8 summit, which kicked off last Wednesday in Italy, came to a close after two days with the decision to allocate a generous €14.35 billion ($20 billion) fund aimed at addressing famine in African countries.
But environmental groups around the world expressed disappointment at the leaders of the world’s most industrialised nations for failing to get major developing nations China and India to sign up to the goal of halving world greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Originally planned for the seaside resort of La Maddalena in Sardinia, the venue chosen for the summit was moved to L’Aquila, as part of an attempt to redistribute funds to the town in the southern Italian region of Abruzzo which was struck by a devastating earthquake last April.
Since its inception in 1975, the G8 Summit has evolved beyond the original concept of a gathering of world political leaders. The event has become an occasion for a wide variety of non-governmental organisations, activists and civic groups to congregate and discuss a multitude of issues.
Over the years, the summit has taken flak for becoming what has been described as “an elite club”, rather than a congregation of world superpowers aiming to resolve global challenges of the day.
In fact, Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, who hosted this year’s summit, said that the G8 does not reflect the shifting patterns of global economic power.
Meanwhile, US President Obama said that tackling global challenges “in the absence of major powers like China, India and Brazil seems to be wrongheaded,” adding that he looked forward to “fewer summit meetings.”

African aid
The decision taken on the grant of €14.35 billion to African states for food production was made on the premise that the continent has enough resources to become “self-sufficient”.
Obama said Africa had enough arable land, but lacked seeds, irrigation and mechanisms for farmers to get a fair price for their produce.
Meanwhile, Africa told the wealthy powers they must honour their commitments, old and new – mindful that some in the G8 had fallen short of their 2005 promise to increase annual aid by $50 billion by 2010, half of which was meant for Africa.
South African President Jacob Zuma said the new funding will “go a long way” towards helping Africa, adding: “We can’t say it’s enough, but at least it begins to do very concrete things.”
Nigerian Agriculture Minister Abba Ruma said the new pledge was “very commendable in view of the current global recession.” But he cautioned that it must be “disbursed expeditiously. It is only then we will know that the G8 is living up to its commitment and not just making a pledge and going to sleep.”
The United Nations says the number of malnourished people has risen in the past two years and is expected to top 1.02 billion this year, reversing decades of declines. The global recession is expected to make 103 million more go hungry.
Aid bodies like the World Food Program said a last-minute surge of generosity at the summit in L’Aquila, resulting in the €14.35 billion pledge, was “greeted with great happiness.”

Leaders take hard line on Iran
After the summit drew to a close last Friday, US President Barack Obama said that G8 leaders are “seriously concerned” about the “appalling events” after Iran’s elections.
He also relayed the anxiety of global leaders by Iran’s nuclear programme, saying the G8 was “deeply troubled” over the issue.
Iran denies claims it is trying to build a nuclear bomb.
A joint declaration from the summit in L’Aquila, Italy, said that media restrictions and the detention of foreign nationals by Iran was “unacceptable”.
Iran has recently released eight of nine British embassy staff accused of spying during protests against the alleged rigging of presidential elections last month. But one Briton and a French language teacher, Clotilde Reiss, 23, remain in Iranian custody.
On Friday, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner called for her release and said espionage accusations against her were “stupid”.

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