SYRIA CRISIS APPEAL

Statement by the Global Call to Action Against Poverty: Marking the end of the G8 summit

Published: 1 November 2005

“The people have roared but the G8 has whispered,” said Kumi Naidoo, chair of the Global Call to Action against Poverty.

“The people have roared but the G8 has whispered,” said Kumi Naidoo, chair of the Global Call to Action against Poverty.

“Currently 50,000 people die unnecessarily each day. If the leaders actually implement today's announcement in an urgent manner, we estimate that by 2010 this will fall to around 37,000. Those who have joined the world's largest movement to end poverty can be proud that their voice and efforts will ensure that millions more people will live in health and dignity, but they will not rest until all of these needless deaths are stopped.

“The promise to deliver by 2010 is like waiting 5 years before responding to the tsunami,” Kumi added.

“Despite constant calls from people worldwide for trade justice it is desperately disappointing that G8 leaders failed to act properly on this issue. The debt deal announced is a small belated step in the right direction and though it is good that the principle of 100% cancellation has been recognized, much more needs to be in done in terms of the number of countries, the amount of money and the eradication of conditionalities.

“The Global Call to Action Against Poverty will continue to pile on the pressure on all of our demands, including debt cancellation and challenging the structures of injustice, in the run-up to the Millennium Development Summit in September and the WTO meeting in December.

“Given the track record of G8 leaders of broken promises, we will also be closely monitoring their commitments. GCAP calls on citizens and civil society organizations around the world to get involved and join their national coalition. The white band will continue to be a symbol in the fight for justice against poverty."

Kumi Naidoo, chair, Global Call to Action Against Poverty

The Global Call to Action against Poverty will be participating in a press conference with Bob Geldof and Bono at 3.15pm today.

Contact Information

For interviews contact: Helen Palmer, Oxfam Global Media Officer on 07876 476403
Oxfam International is a member of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty, a world-wide alliance committed to forcing world leaders to live up to their promises and to make a breakthrough on poverty in 2005. The campaign is demanding that our leaders do more to achieve trade justice, drop the debt, increase and improve aid, and ultimately live up to their promises. Learn more at www.whiteband.org.