Brown: Action must be taken against world poverty
Chancellor Gordon Brown will today set out his aspirations for cutting poverty in developing countries during the British presidencies of the EU and G8 next year.
In a speech to 800 campaigners at the Catholic aid agency, Cafod, Mr Brown will say 2005 will be “make or break for development” in poorer countries.
“The push for G8 progress starts now,” he is expected to say.
“We must rise to the challenge and we accept that we will be judged by what we achieve.
“The task for government now is to replace talk by action, initiatives by results, and rise to the challenge, pledging to strive for urgent progress both on the priorities of finance and development and trade.”
Mr Brown’s brainchild, the International Finance Facility (IFF), aims to increase donations from £25.7 billion to £51.4 billion.
The British government has already pledged to double aid from donor countries and axe the debt owed by the poorest nations via the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the African Development Bank.
Mr Brown will call on other G8 nations to set aside 0.7 per cent of national income for overseas aid.
He also wants richer countries such as the US, Japan and Germany to do more to help the development of vaccines for Aids and malaria.
Mr Brown’s speech comes in a week where Oxfam reported that aid budgets from rich nations have halved since 1960 in real terms.
Britain assumes its leadership role of the G8 on January 1st and holds the presidency of the EU July 2005.
