The G8 Summit Approaches (by Hannah Renglich)

"For every 3 seconds that action is delayed, another child will die of easily preventable causes…For every day that passes 100 million of the poorest children will miss another day at primary school; and every night that the diplomats adjourn for another dinner on expenses, 300 million children go to bed hungry for yet another night."

On the eve of the G8 Summit in Gleneagles Scotland, there is a quiet anticipation in the air as crowds gather to welcome performers in the Live 8 concert series and masses of people sport white bands in support of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty. Around the world, citizens of developing nations are looking hopefully toward the outcome of three days' events, as leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States gather to address a long list of issues, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The G8 Summit, taking place this week from July 6 -- 8, 2005, is a routinely occurring conference of the leaders of eight major industrial democracies that have been meeting since 1975 to deal with major economic and political issues facing the international community. In addition to development issues, the G8 leaders discuss a broad range of topics from international trade, employment, and the information highway, to the environment, crime, human rights, and arms control. This year, the G8 leaders will be discussing climate change, as well as Africa, in a summit just outside of Edinburgh, Scotland. The United Nations commends the G8's decision to focus on Africa, emphasizing that a global strategy to defeat terrorism and control the distribution of weapons of mass destruction, coupled with an appreciation for the rules governing the use of force by states are needed more than ever before.

As performers in eight countries rev up their amps in preparation for massive concerts to boost awareness, AIDS is one of many topics they aim to address, reminiscent of the last series of Live Aid concerts also organized by Bob Geldolf. As in summits gone by, this year's meeting will address the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus, as it continues to ravage the world. In Africa, the incurable malady has already claimed a toll of victims equivalent to more than half the population of Canada, whereas in Canada and the United States, anti-retroviral medication has reduced AIDS from a death sentence to a chronic but manageable condition. Stephen Lewis, the UN Special Envoy for AIDS in Africa, claims, "The combination of food shortages and AIDS is what's killing everyone".

With promises from British Prime Minister Tony Blair that the summit will be a change from past meetings characterized by extravagant dining, fine liquor, and expensive cigars, it is true that the world is watching more closely than ever. In order to dispel the biased sample of middle-aged Caucasian men in the discussions, the leaders of Brazil, China, India and South Africa have also been invited to this year's round of discussions. The summit offers the world the opportunity to set priorities in the aim of addressing pressing issues and making decisions that will influence international order, and therefore it is an opportunity for journalists, activists, youth, non-governmental and civil society organizations to advocate on behalf of their concerns. On another level, organizations and institutions such as the United Nations may appeal to the G8 to strive towards the achievement of internationally agreed upon goals, such as the MDGs.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, has recognized the real possibility of achieving the Millennium Development Goals, as set out by the United Nations in September of 2000. With only ten years left in the toil to accomplish them, Annan writes, "With the political will, we have the possibility to halve extreme poverty and hunger in the world, as well as the proportion of people without safe drinking water; to achieve universal primary education; to eliminate gender disparity in education at all levels; to cut child mortality by two thirds and maternal mortality by three quarters; to turn the tide against HIV/AIDS, malaria and other major diseases; and to halt the depletion of our environmental resources".

With the clout of eight prosperous countries, the G8 summit offers an opportunity for the developed to use their advantage to help those less fortunate. Since the first seven of the MDGs are geared towards reducing poverty in all its forms, the eighth goal -- global partnership for development -- focuses on the measures to achieve the aforementioned goals. The richest countries may then offer assistance to the poorest countries, as it is within their power to lower trade barriers, cancel debt, and allow a freer exchange of goods and services. As a start to negotiations, the G8 finance ministers announced the cancellation of one hundred per cent of the debt of eighteen poor nations, mostly found in sub-Saharan Africa. This act, finalized on June 11, 2005, was a daring first step in the pursuit of the MDGs as well as the Global Call to Action Against Poverty, as $40 billion in debt was dissolved.

With activists across the world demonstrating their solidarity and support by means of a generic white band, it would seem that little action is actually taking place; however, this is not so. The publication of the report, "But the Children Cannot Wait" by the Global Movement for Children, is asking that world leaders provide "free high quality basic education and health, invest real resources in the well being and capacities of children, drop the debt, double the quantity and improve quality of aid, and ensure trade justice; all 'do-able' achievements for 2005". Children from thirteen African countries warn that urgent action must be taken at the G8 summit in July and MDGs summit in September, or conditions will continue to deteriorate for millions of children worldwide.

It is evident that a lot of hope is riding on the decisions made and conversations had in the upcoming week by the leaders of the G8 in Gleneagles, Scotland. With a concerted effort from performance artists, non-governmental organizations, activists, and children across the world, the pressure upon eight countries to reach favourable resolutions regarding major issues is great; however, the action of the world is necessary to make such huge progress. In the words of the Make Poverty History campaign, it will be possible 'only with your voice'.

Sources

"G8 / Live8." Toronto Star. 2 Jul. 2005. 2 Jul. 2005. <http://www.thestar.com/g8>.

"G8 Information Centre." University of Toronto. 2005. 2 Jul. 2005. <http://www.g8.utoronto.ca/>.

Global Data Monitoring Information System. "Millennium Development Goals." World Bank. 2004. 2 Jul. 2005. <http://ddp-ext.worldbank.org/ext/MDG/home.do>.

Millennium Campaign. United Nations. 2004. 2 Jul. 2005. <http://www.millenniumcampaign.org/site>.

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