Our response to G8 communiqué on development and Africa
This is a half-hearted and half-baked result for children in poor countries. The G8’s words get less convincing every time they are repeated.
Thursday 9 July 2009
Adrian Lovett, Save the Children spokesperson said:
“This is a half-hearted and half-baked result for children in poor countries. Pasted together from old commitments, the G8’s words get less convincing every time they are repeated. Recycling is good for the environment, but not in this case.
“Releasing this so early in the three-day Summit suggests that there has been little discussion or debate about development. It appears some G8 leaders are simply going through the motions.
“Save the Children wanted a commitment to double the $3.5 billion financing for maternal, newborn and child health. Instead the G8 leaves poor countries struggling with less than half what they need. We welcome the mention of the Global Consensus on Maternal Newborn and Child Health but it needs to become a detailed template for urgent action.
“We called for strong and urgent measures by the G8 to meet promises on aid. Instead, despite positive moves by some other members, Italy announced yet another cut to their budget on the eve of the Summit.
“Some consolation is the G8’s agreement to an assessment in 2010 of what needs to be done to reach the Millennium Development Goals. However, this needs to trigger real and immediate action, not a last desperate gasp.”
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