GCAP RESPONSE TO G8 COMMUNIQUE

The Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) condemned the G8 development communiqué, calling it utterly lacking in constructive solutions and falling to recognize the depths of the global poverty, climate and economic crises. 

GCAP has called on G8 leaders, to hear the cries of people living on the brink, and recognize that while they dine lavishly, over 1 billion people will sleep cold and hungry, mothers are forced to choose which child to feed, and by the end of the G8’s 3-day meeting, 75, 000 children will have died needlessly from preventable causes.

While GCAP welcomes greater transparency in reporting G8 progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, the G8 fails to recognize the need for swift action and systemic change to overcome the multiple crises affecting people across the world.

“What we see from G8 leaders today is a complete failure of moral leadership. The response so far is like rearranging the deckchairs on the sinking Titanic, and from today’s statement it is clear they are now rushing for the lifeboats to save the privileged few – leaving the rest of us to drown. The level of support for bank bailouts in one year is more than total support for poverty eradication in the last 50 years. If the G8 fails to act with urgency and courage, and Put People First, they betray their own citizens and the rest of the world; and it raises yet again the illegitimacy of the G8.” said Kumi Naidoo, GCAP Global Co-Chair.
GCAP is calling on G8 Leaders to redeem themselves over the next two days with action in the following areas:

•    Accountability - Rapid delivery on previous promises including specific details on how the G8 will meet Gleneagles commitments due in 2010.
•    A global package to support men, women and children living in poverty, deal with the triple-threat of food, financial and climate crises.
•    Urgent action to address the funding gap of over $15 billion to reach the goal of universal access to primary education.

To know that a disaster is unfolding which is of your own making, to have the means to solve it – and to then walk away…. is complete moral negligence. Continuing with business as usual is not only inhuman but also economically stupid. Plan A has failed, the response so far has been, lets try Plan A again! We need the G8 to Act, the starving billion cannot eat words!”
Sylvia Borren, GCAP Global Co-Chair

GCAP Calls on the G8 to use the remaining two days to develop real solutions and recognize that growth without equity is no longer sustainable, GCAP will react to ongoing developments in the next 48 hours here at L’Aquila.