From the latest Africa Progress Panel newsletter

Mar 13th, 2009 2:43 PM UTC
By Jessica.Gomez.Duran

The APP is an independent body whose members currently include Tidjane Thiam, Muhummad Yunnnus, Michael Camdessus and Bob Geldof. The Panel works to keep the world’s leaders focused on delivering the commitments they’ve made, especially in terms of good governance, as this is vital for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. As the APP website states, the panel members “will draw on the expertise of institutions working on African issues to present a rigorous and independent assessment of progress”.

They publish regular newsletters full of information related to Africa. Their latest newsletter, entitled ‘Anyone for Gs’, has an editorial on the G20/G8/G? which is a great introduction and helps explain what it’s all about.

Anyone for Gs? (Vol 1 Issue 8 )

The world enjoys a rich variety of Gs. There is the G-7, which is almost the G-8. The G-5 (China, India, Mexico, Brazil and Egypt) might be joining the G-8 meeting in July. We have the G-20 – which is really the G-22, if the EU and AU are added. Then there’s the G-77, which actually has 130 members. And don’t forget the G-15 which, confusingly, has 17 members.

Some argue that all these Gs are irrelevant, and that the only effective grouping is the G-2: the US and China. Others that only the G-192, the UN, has real legitimacy.

The proliferation of Gs is bewildering, but in fact may be a sign of health, as the world struggles to find governance structures which are both effective in terms of economic clout and have the political legitimacy to tackle the multiple crises before us.

For the G-54 (Africa), what matters right now is being heard by the world’s most powerful: on rebooting the Doha round, on increasing access to finance, and on keeping aid promises. Everyone will benefit if Africa is part of a coordinated global economic stimulus plan, not treated as an afterthought.

To make the case, Africa needs a strong voice, clear positions and specific proposals. The best Gs for Africa are those which give Africa a meaningful rather than symbolic opportunity to make its case, and which then commit leaders to a time bound course of action.

The full newsletter is available here.

-Jessica Gomez-Duran

TAGS: Bob Geldof, Policy News