05 July 2005

Today’s launch of the Business Action for Africa coalition to beat poverty and promote economic growth has not changed ActionAid’s view that multinational corporations need to be legally regulated.

Quinton Mageza, head of ActionAid’s programme in South Africa, said: "Many companies based in the G8 have a poor record of human rights abuses and environmental destruction in Africa. ActionAid welcomes the steps some businesses have taken to improve their social and environmental performance, but this does not change our view that multinational companies must be held legally accountable for their impacts on human rights and the environment."

Dropping AIDS treatment target will betray 40m people with HIV
ActionAid is reacting with alarm to suggestions that a commitment to free AIDS treatment for all by 2010 may be dropped from the G8 communiqué. If rumours that the US is trying to get the treatment target struck from the text are true it will undermine the UK’s commitment to fight for consensus on this issue.Seemingly the US is concerned about committing to an 'unrealistic' target but as the Washington Post reported last week, America’s AIDS treatment intervention is not keeping up with its own aspirations. Thus it is even more crucial for the G8 take urgent action to scale up treatment to the 5.5 m people living with HIV who are in need of life-saving medicines.

Simon Wright, ActionAid UK HIV & AIDS campaign team leader speaking from Gleneagles said: "This year of all years, the G8 must respond to the worldwide movement demanding access to AIDS treatment. If the G8 does not commit to increasing access to treatment, they will be failing to act on the single biggest threat to development that the world faces. The AIDS crisis is the strongest argument for doubling aid, for debt relief and for fair trade."

Felicity Daly, ActionAid UK HIV & AIDS policy officer said: "Only three weeks ago G7 finance ministers stated that tackling diseases that undermine growth and exacerbate poverty in developing countries will require improved treatment, including universal access for AIDS treatment by 2010. This gave hope to millions of people and if the G8 now backtracks from this, they will have betrayed those hopes."