A powerful grouping of countries, the G8’s annual meetings take place in the glare of global media attention. But when the photo calls are over, the actions of these countries often lag far behind their fine words.
The G8 refers to the Group of Eight countries. This grouping came to life in 1975 when the leaders of Japan, the USA, Germany, France, the UK and Italy met to discuss global economic challenges. Canada joined the table in the following year, and Russia in 1998.
Countries take turns to hold the G8 presidency, to set its agenda for the year and to host its summit.
Political commitment
A series of preparatory meetings are held in the run-up to each summit, at government, official and ministerial level. At the summit itself leaders come to informal agreements on steps that they can each take towards their joint goals, outlined in a document known as the ‘communiqué’.
For international development and health the G8 communiqué is important as a signal of political commitment. Campaigners have been successful in getting health issues onto the agenda of many recent summits, resulting in the setting of significant international goals.
However, although follow-up meetings are designed to keep up the momentum, there is no mechanism to ensure countries deliver on their pledges. Many are yet to be followed through.
A rich man’s club
Critics argue the grouping is basically an elite, rich man’s club, which is responsible for many international problems and does not have the legitimacy to act on behalf of the poorest and most marginalised. This is one reason why summits are often accompanied by public protests.
There is a recognition that others are needed at the table however. Leaders of other countries and international bodies have been invited to ‘outreach’ sessions at recent summits, depending on the agenda, and the European Commission is represented at all meetings.
But there has been growing pressure to change the grouping more radically to reflect the reality of global power shifts, and in particular the emergence of powerful middle-income and developing countries such as China, Brazil, India and South Africa.
This proved essential in spring 2009 when an emergency meeting of a larger group – the G20 – was called in response to the global economic crisis. This was a stark recognition that major international challenges require many more countries around the table.
Tackling poverty and health
There have been many G8 announcements on development, including the creation of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative, a process for cancelling the debt of the world’s poorest countries.
Africa received particular attention during 2005 when the G8 meeting was hosted by the UK. A quarter of a million people marched in Edinburgh calling for action on global poverty.
Responding to public and media pressure, the G8 countries pledged they would provide an extra $50bn in annual aid by 2010, with half of this specifically tagged for Africa. But details were thin and aid levels have actually dropped in the years since.
By the end of 2008 analysis suggests that only one third of the promised increases had been delivered. While some countries are on track to meet their targets, Italy and France have performed particularly badly.
In some areas progress has been better. Another significant promise made in 2005 was to ensure everyone living with HIV would have access to lifesaving treatment by 2010. This has helped galvanise the delivery of life-saving treatment. The target will not be met, but progress is certainly being made.
Health Poverty Action says:
- G8 leaders must honour existing pledges, and hold each other to account. Individually and collectively they must go further and faster in addressing international health challenges.
- Tackling international health challenges requires the involvement of a much wider grouping of countries to ensure legitimacy and buy-in to proposed solutions.
Last modified: 12/01/2011
