G8 Summit 2008

G8 Summit 2008 - Oxfam's VERDICT

No breakthrough at crisis summit

Jeremy Hobbs, Executive Director of international agency Oxfam, said:

`Never was more urgent action needed by the G8 than this week in Japan. Accelerated climate change, runaway food prices and growing poverty are depriving millions of people of their livelihoods and, in many cases, their very lives.

`The G8 failed to rise to the challenge of a world in crisis, a world that is demanding serious action. We must see this leadership in September at the UN emergency summit on poverty and in December in Poland at the vital UN climate talks.

`The crucial issues were on the G8 agenda. Several governments championed steps forward, but in the end this summit did not deliver the breakthroughs so urgently needed. The consensus reached was at best shallow, especially on climate.

`The search for deeper agreement among world powers does not end here, and will certainly shape the agenda during Italy's presidency. Millions of people living in poverty, however, can ill afford another year without bold and united leadership.