Turning talk into action: G8 Gleneagles one year on
Related page: DFID's future work (White Paper)
 A
year ago, world leaders at the G8 summit in Gleneagles signed up to an
unparalleled set of commitments on global poverty.
They agreed a comprehensive plan to tackle the problems faced by poor people
and poor countries around the globe, including: an extra $50bn in aid by 2010
– with half for Africa, tackling corruption, writing off debt, making AIDS
drugs available to all, tackling climate change, and more investment in health
and education.
The summit also agreed that further progress in developing countries depends,
above all, on action by their own leaders and own people.
So one year on – where are we now? If you marched in Edinburgh or
stood in Hyde Park or wrote to the government asking for these changes, how do you know that these
pledges have been turned into action?
To mark the anniversary of Gleneagles, we have published a short booklet: ‘G8
Gleneagles: One Year On’ that highlights progress by the international community
in twelve areas – from aid and debt cancellation to fighting disease and
promoting business.
 "The
UK Government expects the public to continue to hold its political leaders to
account for the commitments made at Gleneagles in 2005. And we are committed to
working with the leaders of Africa and international partners towards the
ultimate goal of ending extreme poverty."
Tony Blair, Gordon Brown &
Hilary Benn in 'G8 Gleneagles: One Year On’
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What has been achieved since July 2005?
 A
lot of progress has been made since last July.
But the action doesn’t stop here. We still have a long way to
go, particularly on trade. But it is equally important not to underestimate how
far we have come in just one year.
In 2006, and in coming years, the UK Government will continue its work
with other donors and developing country governments to make poverty history - and
to demonstrate that the commitments made at the G8 Gleneagles Summit were more
than just words.
Examples of recent progress include:
- The International community is well on the way to the target to provide
$130 billion in aid worldwide by 2010, following an increase in aid from
around $80 billion in 2004 to over $100 billion in 2005. The UK has already
met its target to provide £1 billion a year in aid to Africa by 2005/6 and
we are increasing steadily to reach £1.25 billion by 2007/8
- The International Monetary Fund cancelling the debts of 20
countries, 14 from Africa. Some of the increase in last year’s aid was down
to debt relief and some groups have questioned why this is included. Debt
relief is important - it frees up funds that can be spent on improving
health and education and tackling corruption and achieving other poverty
reduction goals
- The launch of a new UN emergency fund to respond more quickly to natural
and human disasters, like the Pakistan Earthquake and Darfur. The UK has
committed £40 million for this year, with another £120m for the next 3 years
- Nearly $4 billion was committed in 2005 to replenish the Global Fund for
AIDS, TB and Malaria. A special session of the UN in June 2006 agreed that
all those countries who put together credible, sustainable AIDS plans should
get the funding they need to implement them. The session set a funding
target of $20- 23 billion a year for AIDS work by 2010. This funding is what
UNAIDS says we need to spend to provide AIDS drugs for the 5 million people
in developing countries who don’t have access to them at the moment, as well
as effective prevention and care measures such as access to condoms and help
to orphans
- An announcement in April 2006 that the UK would spend at least £8.5
billion on education in developing countries over the next decade. The next
month, at a meeting in Nigeria, 22 African countries announced that they
would develop ten-year plans to improve education in their countries.
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Last updated: 14 July 2006
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