2007 G8 Summit

Throughout the year 2007, international attention, activist engagement and the dedication of politicians, artists, intellectuals and ordinary citizens led to an increased awareness of the German public of African developing needs and opportunities. Many national newspapers published special issues on Africa, most notably Europe´s biggest tabloid, Bild Zeitung, for which ONE supporter Bob Geldof acted as the editor in chief.

Germany as the host country and namely Chancellor Angela Merkel made a serious and highly welcomed effort by increasing German foreign aid by more than €750 Million. She also promised to increase German aid to the poorest at this rate throughout the next four years.

In early 2007, leading up to the Heiligendamm summit, ONE Germany - then still DATA Germany - was founded. In March, at the German version of the Grammy Awards, the Echo, Bono launched a campaigns film featuring many German and international artists. He asked more than nine million TV viewers to join in the fight against extreme poverty. In May Bob Geldof organized a conference with important influencers and thinkers, called "Intellectual Live 8" that came up with eight recommendations for the German Government. The launch of the DATA Report in Berlin brought together Bono, Bob Geldof, Policy Advisory Board member and former Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and German rock star Herbert Grönemeyer in what turned out to be a major media moment increasing the pressure on the G8 governments. These very public moments were accompanied by many personal meetings by Bono, Bob Geldof and influential ONE supporters with leading politicians globally and particularly in Germany.  Throughout 2007 ONE gave its support to the German Campaign "Deine Stimme Gegen Armut" (your voice against poverty).

Development in Africa was a major topic at the 2007 G8 summit that took place from June 6 to 8 in Heiligendamm, Germany. The outcomes of the summit, however, did not live up to the hopes of activists around the world. The Africa communiqué contained some good but overall fairly vague language. It lacked any new and binding commitments that would have made a real difference in the fight against global poverty. While recommitting to their Gleneagles commitments of doubling foreign aid to Africa the G8 remained dangerously off track in reaching these funding obligations.

At the Heiligendamm summit, Bono, Policy Advisory Board member and singer Youssou N´Dour, the head of the German NGO umbrella organization Venro, Claudia Warning, and Bob Geldof met with Chancellor Merkel and her advisors to discuss her strategy in the fight against extreme poverty in a very open and direct conversation. The next day the artists performed at a special concert called "voices against poverty" which was led by the German artist Herbert Grönemeyer.

While ONE reacted quite skeptical to the overall Heiligendamm summit outcomes, Germany´s and Chancellor Merkel´s strong commitments on these issues were highly welcomed by ONE and others.