Today in Toyako, Japan, the Group of Eight (G-8) leaders pledged to set a five-year deadline to provide Africa with $60 billion to fight diseases like HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria.
As the host country for this year's summit, Japan had called for a focus on health and development. Japan invited leaders from eight African countries to a special session on Monday with the G-8, which comprises the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Russia. The leaders reconfirmed a pledge made three years ago in Gleneagles, Scotland, to double aid to Africa by $25 billion by 2010.
G-8 nations also said they would take "concrete steps" to combat HIV/AIDS, including through "sexual and reproductive health and voluntary family planning programs."
Charles Abani, Southern Africa regional director for Oxfam International, expressed disappointment with the announcement. "Only when they come through with the $25 billion for Africa will we have cause to celebrate. The money is a pittance for the G-8, but for poor Africans it could mean a future with lifesaving medicines and the chance to learn to read and write," said Abani.
Rock singer and activist Bob Geldof, founder of the Live Aid concerts for Africa, called the pledge meaningless unless the individual countries put the money in their budgets. He slammed France and Italy for falling far behind on meeting aid pledges, while praising Britain, Germany, and the United States for stepping up their aid to Africa. Japan is the only G-8 nation to have already met its pledge to double funding to Africa, though Geldof and other activists said that sum was paltry to begin with.
07/08/08
GLOBAL: G-8 Set Deadline for Health Package to Africa
Source: Agence France Presse; Courtesy of the CDC National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention