The G8 Summit 2005

[formerly known as hf]

The G8 has made progress. I am still fundamentally opposed to the idea of the G8 - that eight men (and yes - a big point that they are men) have sat around and decided the best way to deal with millions of lives

does that seem right? Where were the representatives of these millions of impoverished people in the the global south?

But, saying that. Things have moved on. Bush's statement to finally acknowledge that humans can and have been affecting the environment I hope is a major step, and can be levered upon. Global warming is, well... global. and the only solution that will work will have to be a global one. The position of the US in not making much movement on the subject, which has allowed other countries to similarly sit on the fence, has always been one of the greatest obstacles.

As for aid $50bn - sounds a lot - but it's not... It won't bring the US anywhere near the UN targets for % of GDP given as aid. And it won't do anything to stop debt - even with this injection (that will most likely be strung over a number of years) the amount of aid received will still be less than the amount of debt being paid.

The whole concept of 'aid' needs to be rethinked - it needs to be renamed. The word 'Aid' brings ideas of generosity. Of pure giving, nothing in return. When, in reality, aid is usualy weighed down with many ties - that products be bought from the country giving the aid (i.e: we give you money, you buy food from us with it - or you don't get the money - even though they might not need the food they buy with it (mexico now imports more maize than it grows...)) This is not a fundamental shift - SO much more needs to be done, as with climate change. But it is something, so it is not all bad

but just because of this movement, does not mean we can all breath a sigh of relief and be fooled into thinking these eight men are doing amazingly philanthrophic things, and setting the world all good. Pressure still needs to be exerted - there still needs to be anti-poverty demonstrations. The discussion, the dialogue, needs to be continued. The first step has been made, but the momentum musn't be lost...

[formerly known as hf]

I have to say - I'be just read the full news coverage - and I'm really dissapointed. It's all grand rhetorhic. There's been no changes. What with Bono talking about 'the begining of the end' - how long will Africa be at 'the begining'? This is hardly a step anywhere - things are moving so much slowet than they ever should. The agreement on climate change is paper thin, almost meaningless - now I've reead the real words. And the guarantess for Africa - by 2010? Guarantees my arse anyway - thee aren't binding by any means - and 2010? That's far too many years to wait.
Something could, should, have happened. But instead. The only big things were the eight men's egos, and the political rhethoric they spun out to make us think they were doing something...

[Pirog]

hallucinatingfarmer>

It is the same thing every time...but sadly most people seem to forget all the broken promises, outright lies and corruption when the next election comes along.

It is important to remember that the G8 leaders obviously doesnt want to change how things are. They are the richest nations mainly because they are exploiting others and of course they are happy to remain at the top...

[Nick]

Westerners wouldn't have the same lifestyle we do if poverty was eliminated.

Not really a suprise that first nation countries wouldn't want to end it.