Chancellor Merkel should visit Africa before the G8 Summit in Germany, says Oxfam

St. Petersburg, July 17 – The fight against poverty was crowded out in St. Petersburg, but G8 leaders will return to the issue next year. It is now up to German Chancellor Angela Merkel to put the priority on poverty, the world’s most pressing problem.

“Chancellor Merkel must rise to the challenge of the age,” said Joern Kalinski, Oxfam policy advisor. “It is well within our resources to end poverty, but we need someone to lead the charge.”

Chancellor Merkel indicated her resolve to end poverty early in her administration by recommitting Germany to reaching the 0.7% target on aid. Before the G8 in Germany next year, where Africa is once again on the agenda, Chancellor Merkel should to go Africa and see how inadequate aid and unfair trade are preventing African countries from winning the fight against poverty.

“She’s already made some good first moves, but there is no substitute for meeting the people whose lives would be changed by her leadership,” Kalinski said.

“If Chancellor Merkel will bring her capacity to lead and build coalitions to bear on the issue of our age, we know we will make progress for the poor next year,” said Kalinski. “We need Chancellor Merkel’s leadership to ensure the G8 keep their promises to the world’s poor.”