G8 fails test on Africa
Source: ActionAid - UK
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Quotes from ActionAid:On Africa - Collins Magalasi, director, ActionAid South Africa:"Despite last-minute face-saving
measures the G8 has failed its credibility test on Africa."On HIV, Aids and health systems - Aditi Sharma, head of ActionAid’s HIV/Aids campaign: "Even this $60
billion smokescreen can’t cover up for the failure of the G8 to move forward on their Aids promises. This is devastating news for the 40 million people living with HIV and
Aids." "24,000 people have died over the last three days while G8 leaders have been wrangling over text on how many lives to save.""What we came here
for was a comprehensive funding plan. Instead in the last three days the G8 have diluted their commitment to universal access to Aids treatment." On aid - Collins Magalasi,
director, ActionAid South Africa: "The G8 are $8 billion off track this year on meeting their Gleneagles aid pledges although you wouldn’t guess it from reading their Africa
Declaration.""The G8 should have been identifying steps needed to deliver $50bn extra in aid by 2010. Instead they have restated what we already knew from two years
ago." On Angela Merkel - Astrid Schwietering, ActionAid's policy advisor in Germany: "Credit should be given to Chancellor Merkel for responding to campaigners
and putting Africa on the agenda. Germany has taken a first step by committing 750 million Euros to its aid budget for 2008 but it’s just half of what they need to do to fulfil the pledges made
in Gleneagles."
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