G8 Leaders agree $50 billion Africa package G8 leaders agree $50bn Africa package Matthew Tempest and Mark Oliver Friday July 8, 2005 Tony Blair, surrounded by other world leaders, speaks at the end of the G8 summit at Gleneagles, Scotland. Photograph: Susan Walsh/AP The G8 leaders brought the Gleneagles summit to a close today with the signing of a $50bn (£28.8bn) deal that Tony Blair said would give hope that poverty in Africa could be ended. The two day summit - overshadowed by yesterday's terrorist attacks in London - saw the world's most powerful men put their signatures to a statement on the steps of the hotel just after midday. Flanked by his G8 colleagues and invited guests from the developing world, Mr Blair said the deal would "not end of poverty in Africa but it is hope that it can be ended". Mr Blair said the Africa plan included a $50bn (£28.8bn) increase in aid, the "signal" for a new deal on trade and the cancellation of the debts of the poorest nations. It also involves universal access to Aids treatment, a commitment to a new peacekeeping force for Africa and a commitment by African leaders to democracy and good governance. "All of this does not change the world tomorrow. It is a beginning, not an end. And none of it today will match the same ghastly impact of terror," he said. "But it has a pride and a hope and humanity at its heart that can lift the shadow of terrorism and light the way to a better future." Mr Blair said the summit had also agreed a plan of action to open a dialogue with emerging economies to slow down and reverse greenhouse gas emissions as well as a $3bn dollar package of assistance for the Palestinian Authority. Further detail of the agreement will emerge with the publication of the full texts shortly. A further press conference from Mr Blair is expected later. On climate change, he said the G8 and emerging countries had agreed to "slow down and then to reverse" the emission of greenhouse gases, in a deal starting in November. With a sombre mood still hanging over the summit, the prime minister said that the G8 leaders would not let the "shadow of terrorism" obscure the agreements they were announcing. Yesterday's acts "will not obscure what we came here to achieve," he said, adding the communique was the "definitive expression of our collective will to act in the face of death". Nigeria's president, Olusegun Obasanjo, welcomed the deal. "The meeting of G8 leaders and African leaders is a great success," he said. The two rock stars who have done most to highlight the issue of Africa, Bob Geldof and Bono, were at the hotel today as the talks reached their conclusion. Two leaked versions of the climate change communique last night suggest that little progress has been made, with US views on the Kyoto protocol hardly shifting. "While uncertainty remains in our understanding of climate science, we know enough to act now," the leaked draft said. It also acknowledged that the UN framework on climate change - of which the Kyoto protocol is the best-known part - is the "appropriate forum for negotiating the future of the multilateral regime on climate change". Environmental action groups have condemned the statement as a "significant lost opportunity".
cant be arsed to read that but what was said about trade? cos you can give aid till your blue in the teeth but without fair trade deals they are screwed
