G8 back-tracking on poverty pledges as Blair announces aid oversight panel

As Tony Blair and Gordon Brown tonight announce the formation of a high level panel to review G8 commitments on poverty, ActionAid says that world leaders need to act now to honour the pledges made at the G8 summit at Gleneagles last July (2005).

If the G8 doesn’t act, the charity says, they will betray the millions of campaigners who sought to make poverty history and the billion plus people living in extreme poverty

Patrick Watt, ActionAid UK policy coordinator welcomed the panel’s formation but said: "Any measure that keeps poverty on the agenda of the G8 is welcome. But a panel can be no substitute for political action. The true test of its credibility is whether it spurs G8 countries into going further than they have to date."

One year on from the Edinburgh Make Poverty History rally and Live8 – focusing on debt, trade, aid and HIV and Aids – ActionAid’s new report, Mission Unaccomplished, shows that G8 leaders are falling short of their targets and pledges in several key areas.

On debt, the governments have done what they said they’d do. But their commitments on trade and more and better aid have not been fulfilled in whole or part. And while the G8 has promised to fund universal access to HIV&AIDS drugs by 2010, governments have so far not put forward enough money.

• Drop the debt: The G8 promised to cancel the debts of 18 poor countries. They have delivered this but at least 40 other countries need a debt write-off.
• Trade justice: The G8 promised to put the needs of poor people first, and cut harmful trade subsidies, but instead they’re continuing to push for a WTO trade deal that could increase poverty in poor countries.
• More and better aid: Western countries promised to double aid to Africa as part of an extra $50 billion by 2010 – but so far they are not on track to achieve this.
• Universal Aids treatment : The G8 pledged universal access to treatment by 2010 but they are not paying enough to make this happen. To keep their word, they will need to make up a $10 billion a year shortfall.

"In the UK, nine million people demanded justice last year in an unprecedented anti-poverty campaign. Their efforts helped bring about a debt cancellation deal worth nearly $1 billion a year to poor countries," said Patrick Watt.

"When they acted on debt, the world's richest countries showed they can make a difference. It is now up to them to seize the initiative and deliver on their other promises, but they must act now or risk losing the trust of all those who wore their white band in 2005."