A Simple Request to the G8
May - July 2008
For six weeks, ONE encouraged Japan to lead the G8 in stepping up delivery of their commitments on healthcare, agriculture, and education.
Overview
The G8 has been a focus for development campaigners since the rise of the debt movement in the late 1990s. At the 2005 Gleneagles summit, leaders made historic commitments to increase aid to Africa. And at the 2007 Heiligendamm summit, Germany again made Africa a focus.
The Toyako summit once more presented an opportunity to put pressure on some of the world's most influential leaders all in one place. 2008 was a land mark year, halfway to 2015, the target date set for achieving the Millennium Goals, and also the mid-point between 2005 and 2010, when G8 promises such as the doubling of aid to Africa and the provision of near universal AIDS treatment must be delivered. All of these commitments were off track.
ONE and our allies in the fight against poverty petitioned leaders to deliver on their previous commitments, particularly asking them to address the ongoing hunger crisis. Because Japan was chairing the 2008 G8 meeting, we particularly focused on Japan's opportunity and responsibility to lead the G8 in the fight against poverty.
Campaign Milestones
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May 27 2008
Bono Speaks at Keio University
ONE co-founder and board member Bono receives an Honorary Doctorate of Law (in English) from Keio University and speaks to the student body about extreme poverty and the opportunities of the upcoming G8 Summit.
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May 28 2008
TICAD IV: Yokohama
The fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development takes place in Yokohama. Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda convenes with representatives from 51 African countries including 40 heads of state, and leaders in the fight against extreme poverty including Bono, to discuss the future of African development ahead of the G8.
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May 30 2008
ONE launches Japanese Website
A month ahead of the G8, ONE starts mobilizing public support for development, launching a Japanese website and a new film featuring Japanese and international artists supporting the fight against poverty. The number of ONE members in Japan doubles in two months.
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May 30 2008
Bob and Bono Edit Asahi Simbun
Bob Geldof and Bono guest-edit a special edition of "Asahi Shimbun," the world’s second most read newspaper.
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Jun 26 2008
ONE Launches Petition
ONE members start taking action, signing the petition asking G8 leaders to deliver on their commitments. Over 91,000 people signed by in the end.
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Jun 30 2008
Pressure Builds Ahead of G8
The "Financial Times" runs an article stating: "Leaders of the Group of Eight rich nations are set to backtrack on their landmark pledge at the Gleneagles summit in 2005 to increase development aid to Africa to [USD] $25bn a year." In response, even more ONE members sign the G8 petition and encourage their friends to join them.
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Jul 8 2008
2008 G8 Concludes, With Mixed Results
The G8 communiqué is released. After intense pressure from advocates around the world including ONE members and ONE supporter Bob Geldof, the G8 do not backtrack on their commitments, but they do not make any significant progress towards reaching those commitments either. Japan committed to double aid to Africa, although in real terms this represents a modest increase given the low starting point. Japan is on track to meet its commitment.
Quick Facts
$3 billion
the amount the G8 increased aid to Africa since their Gleneagles promises in 2005 up to the 2008 summit.
$60 billion over 5 years
the G8’s "new" pledge for fight global disease. The old pledge was $60 billion with no timeline attached. The U.S. has already committed to deliver $48 billion of this goal through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
More than one million
people in 190 countries, including 200,000 ONE members though two different petitions, petitioned G8 leaders to reaffirm their commitments to the world’s poorest people.