G8 leaders agree to keep Africa's woes in mind

ST PETERSBURG, Russia, July 17: World leaders pledged to keep Africa's woes in mind and to track actively their progress on cutting poverty and supporting development, a move welcomed by campaigners.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday put assistance for Africa at the top of the agenda at the Group of Eight summit he hosted in 2005 but this year's host Russia initially ignored the topic.

But Britain pushed for discussion on Africa in St Petersburg and the leaders agreed to review efforts to boost aid, cut debt and improve trading conditions for the continent at next year's meeting in Germany.

''We will review progress, and identify the next steps to support Africa's successful development,'' in Germany, the G8 said.

Campaigners blame sporadic attention by the outside world for the sometimes haphazard approach to relieving poverty in Africa and had worried that the blaze of publicity focused on the continent last year would vanish without lasting effect.

''Our goal remains a democratic, prosperous and peaceful Africa.

We will continue to give our full support to African efforts to secure this,'' the G8 text said.

Most campaigners say not enough has been done to fulfill G8 pledges of assistance since last year. But they welcomed the formal commitment not to let Africa issues slip from sight.

''This is the first time they have agreed to return to Africa. It means it is on the agenda for Germany. That's really, really critical,'' said Max Lawson, policy adviser for aid group Oxfam.

''They've got to keep reviewing programmes as their history on fulfilling promises is poor,'' he said.

''The fact there have not been steps backward will be cold comfort for the 800 families in Africa who lost a child today because they couldn't afford a doctor's bill,'' said Matt Phillips, head of campaigns for Save the Children.

''The G8 can and must act more urgently,'' he said.

British officials say that while progress has been made in easing debt burdens for some of the poorest African nations, more needs to be done to boost aid and getting a breakthrough in global trade talks is a vital step to alleviating poverty.

REUTERS