G8 leaders take baby steps to meeting MDG promises

Strides were needed but G8 leaders meeting near Toronto took only small steps to affirm promises on aid to halve global poverty made in 2000.

Strides were needed but G8 leaders meeting near Toronto took only small steps to affirm promises on aid to halve global poverty made in 2000 and strengthened five years ago.

Concern over the economic crisis has made the leaders cautious and left analysts unclear about how much new money has been committed to poverty reduction in Canada last weekend.

Economic belt-tightening by the most powerful nations may leave the poorest people falling even further behind, and the irony of this has not escaped some commentators. Oxfam’s spokesperson said, “Rich countries bailed out their banks but no one is bailing out the poorest people.”

Five years ago, leaders of the G8 (minus Russia) committed to double aid by 2010 to developing countries. This amounted to $50 billion, including $25 bn for the poorest nations in Africa. The OECD estimates that the donors have delivered only 60% of their promises. Individually the United States, Britain and Canada have met their commitments. Italy delivered none of its funding, while Germany, France and Japan gave less aid than promised.

"I think it is frustrating that world leaders sign up to things and then don't deliver them and we have to make sure that happens," UK Prime Minister David Cameron told reporters.

The World Bank has warned that progress made so far in developing countries could be set back if aid levels declined further, pushing more people into poverty.

However the official communiqué of the G8 was positive about supporting the Millennium Development Goals. “Commitment to development, based on mutual responsibility, and a strong partnership with developing countries, particularly in Africa, remains a cornerstone of the G8’s approach. We will pursue our comprehensive approach to development aiming at sustainable outcomes.

The communiqué reaffirmed commitments on aid and enhancing aid effectiveness, and made no reference to failures so far.

The G8’s major new area of action on poverty in 2010 – maternal and child health - has been championed by the Canadian PM, Stephen Harper. G8 leaders promised an additional $5 billion over the next five ears to support strengthened country-led national health systems to provide better care from pre-pregnancy to early childhood (Goals 4 and 5).

Aid agencies are skeptical that this new commitment will be met when the record so far has been poor.

To read a G8/G20 latest digest, click here