20 June 2005

The G8 has a shocking track record when it comes to tackling world poverty. In fact, a new report launched by ActionAid today reveals that many of their decisions have made things worse. Don’t Make Poverty lays down actions that G8 leaders must agree at the Gleneagles summit in July in order to stop harming Africa and support its people to help themselves.

The report examines the G8’s dismal track record and provides a manifesto for change. It demands that the G8 support Africa by providing trade justice, giving more and better aid, cancelling poor countries’ debts, fighting HIV and Aids and tackling climate change.

"The G8 should be ashamed of its track record. For years they have given Africa nothing but empty promises. Now is the time for action. Africa can help itself but we need the G8 working with us, not against us. At the summit in Gleneagles they must make a clear commitment to tackle world poverty or else they will have to live with the legacy of having failed Africa and its people," said Njeri Mwangi-Kinyoho from ActionAid’s Africa region office.

Africa is the only region of the world where poverty is rising and life expectancy is falling. Thirteen per cent of the world’s people live in Africa, but it accounts for 28 per cent of people living in poverty and 70 per cent of people living with HIV and Aids. Untying aid from the purchase of goods and services from the rich countries could boost its value by up to $7 billion – enough to provide every child in Africa with a quality primary education.

In the past seven years the G8 has delivered a series of promises to help tackle poverty in Africa and around the world. However, few initiatives have delivered results. Some of the initiatives from past summits include:

• 2000: G8 leaders promise to end the practice of tying aid. Today, over a fifth of all aid to Africa continues to be tied. Almost 50% of Canada’s aid remains officially tied.
• 2001: the world’s riches countries, with the UN secretary general, launched the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. They initially committed $1.3 billion. This year the fund is short by $700 billion. There is a $2.9 billion shortfall for 2006.
• 2004: G8 communiqué calls for the removal of trade-distorting subsidies in G8 countries. Today, the G8 continues to subsidise its farmers and agricultural corporations by about $150 billion per year.

For all the broken promises and failures of the past, there are also important examples of progress in Africa. The African Union is becoming stronger, some of the region’s worst conflicts are being resolved, African people are demanding greater accountability from their governments and economic growth is improving. Success stories may be isolated, but they demonstrate what could be achieved if the G8 gives sustained financial and political support.

In Benin, 43% of the money from debt relief was spent filling teacher vacancies in rural areas. The rest was used to recruit health workers in rural clinics, and to fund programmes against Aids and malaria. In Malawi, debt relief has helped to train 3,600 new teachers a year. In Uganda over 10 per cent of aid, about $100 million a year, has been targeted at education.

In order to support lasting change in Africa, ActionAid is calling on the G8 to:

Support trade justice - end damaging export subsidies, give countries a free choice on trade policy, and stop corporate abuse of basic rights

Give more and better aid - double aid and reach the 0.7% aid target, end economic policy conditions, untie aid and support universal access to education, healthcare and water

• Drop the debt - write off poor countries’ debt and prevent a future debt crisis
• Fight HIV and Aids - Support the Commission for Africa’s goal of universal access to treatment by 2010, and fully fund the Global Fund
• Tackle climate change - cut carbon emissions and support measures to help Africa adapt to the impact of climate change

"The G8 have made grand statements on Africa for ten years now. In that time they have continued to frogmarch African countries into policies that have harmed them. They have cancelled only a fraction of poor countries’ debts and have given less and lower quality aid. It is time for the G8 to show some remorse and take positive action," said Steve Tibbett, head of policy at ActionAid UK.