Weeks of advocacy work, thousands of petition signatures, an influx to Cannes of the most important heads of state and activists from around the world, press conferences, sleepless nights… and all this against the backdrop of the Greek tragedy: this was this year’s G20 summit. But in the end, what came out of it? Was it another talk shop or will it spell major changes for the poorest in the world?
At the G20 in Cannes, a high level panel of investment and infrastructure experts –- including ONE board member Mo Ibrahim –- submitted its report on increasing infrastructure financing in developing countries.
At a summit dominated by the eurozone crisis G20 leaders failed to recognise that investing in Africa is a big part of the solution to the global economic crisis. Bill Gates’ report on financing development does however provide a new opportunity for leaders to make good on their promises in the years ahead.
ONE co-founder Bono said:
I heard what President Calderon said in France this afternoon about the priorities for his G20 presidency in 2012. It’s great to hear that hunger and food security will be high on the agenda. And I’m glad he wants to retain the services of Bill Gates for a little longer too. Bill has started a quiet revolution with his smart proposals for financing development.
Africa suffers from an infrastructure deficit that greatly limits growth and poverty reduction on the continent. Seventy percent of the population do not have access to electricity, and many rural communities lack road to access to markets or health facilities. In some areas, a lack of infrastructure reduces economic output by as much as 40 percent.
As somebody once said about these big summits: if you’re not at the table, you’re probably on the menu. And Greece has been breakfast, lunch and dinner here at the G20 so far. Its bones have been well and truly picked over. There can hardly be a morsel left to digest. President Sarkozy had aimed to put global development at the heart of the G20 agenda but Greece has been the only topic of conversation in Cannes. I’ve never seen a global summit so blown off course as this one.
The G20 summit is officially starting today in Cannes, at 12 pm CET.
So far, France, which chairs the Summit this year, has called for a common and sustainable dynamic for development. However, tensions about the Euro crisis may overshadow action against global poverty at this year’s conference.
“Development will be a second major challenge for the G20. I want our dual presidency (G8 and G20) to make Africa its priority”
Nicolas Sarkozy said at his press conference in January 2011.
ONE is campaigning to ensure that the Congressional budget does not cut foreign assistance programs like Feed the Future that help people break the cycle of poverty and hunger.
The Horn of Africa is experiencing its worst drought in 60 years. More than 11 million people, mostly nomadic pastoralists and farmers in south-central Somalia, north-eastern Kenya, and south-eastern Ethiopia, are severely lacking access to food.
2011 marks 30 years since the first cases of AIDS were documented. Take a closer look at the specific, achievable goals we must hit by 2015 to make this year the beginning of the end of AIDS.
As aid agencies warn more than 9 million people could be affected by a food crisis in East Africa, world leaders are failing to keep their 2009 promises to tackle the causes of chronic hunger and support farmers in the world's poorest countries.
