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G8 Summit
The G8 or 'Group of 8' is made up of the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Russian Federation along with the European Union. They meet once a year. 2005, Gleneagles, Scotland
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Aid
Committed to increase in aid of $50 billion per annum by 2010; of this $25 billion per annum will go to Africa, doubling the 2004 level of aid. Unsure how much will go to water and sanitation but the G8 did agree to implement the G8 Water Action Plan of 2003.
Debt
Agreed to cancel 100% of outstanding debt of eligible Highly Indebted Poor Countries, 14 are in Africa.
Trade
Not much progress made, it will be taken up by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in December.
Despite the steps forward the G8 still need to reverse the decline in aid to water and sanitation and spend more aid in the poorest countries. We also hope that there will be improved donor co-ordination and more involvement of communities in planning and implementing.
Civil society responds to the G8
CIVICUS reflected after the G8 summit that it was a victory for civil society and a failure of leadership on the part of the political leaders of G8. They believe that the progress made was down to the influence of civil society through the coordinated efforts of the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP).
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G8 website 2003, Evian, France
President Chirac of France had named water as the event's top priority. He had spoken of the need to double annual investment in the water sector and had said the summit would offer the opportunity to "work out a worldwide plan to achieve this goal."
However, the G8 Action Plan on Water, released on 2 June, has proved to be a real disappointment. It promises the G8 will "redouble their efforts" to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of halving the proportion of those without water and sanitation by 2015, but makes no commitment of extra funds.
An investment of $30 billion per year is desperately needed in order for the water and sanitation MDGs to be met. FAN had hoped that the G8 would commit to ensuring these funds are provided by taking measures such as doubling the share of its own aid spent on water and sanitation from 5% to 10%. However, the Action Plan does not include an investment plan, despite lobbying by the French Government for the controversial Camedessus Financing Report
Without a concrete plan to boost investment this commitment could prove meaningless. At the current rate of investment the sanitation target will never be met in Africa and the water target will take well over 100 years.
French NGOs organised a counter-summit to the G-8. This discussed many themes including debt, water, NEPAD, global taxes, etc. The organisers issued a press release condemning the G-8 for achieving nothing on debt and other important issues. |
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Documents
Hitting the Targets Members of the UK Water Network launched a report at the 2003 G8 which outlines their recommendations on delivering the Millennium Development Goals on water and sanitation and putting poor people at the centre. |