Micah Challenge UK: G8 2007 - Better Than We Feared, Much Worse Than We Needed

This year's G8 "paltry responses" risk squandering earlier successes in combating poverty and steering tragically close to failure on Africa, according to Christian anti-poverty coalition Micah Challenge.

Despite some progress on climate change and HIV issues, overall G8 leaders' decisions still fall desperately short of fulfilling promises made in the Millennium Development Goals of 2000 and the Gleneagles summit in 2005, on issues including water and sanitation, climate change, trade justice, education and HIV and AIDS.

Christian relief and development agencies Tearfund and World Vision are both leading members of Micah Challenge UK.

Tearfund's Advocacy Director Andy Atkins said: "These unfulfilled Gleneagles G8 promises will cost millions of lives. Two years after the grand promises of Gleneagles, the true ambivalence of the G8's concern for Africa is becoming apparent.

"The early success of Gleneagles is being squandered by paltry responses on AIDS, trade and aid."

Graham Dale, Head of Public Affairs at World Vision, said: "This G8 lacks ambition and has failed to achieve what needs to be achieved in order to fulfil both the Millennium Development Goals and the promises of 2005."

Micah Challenge is a coalition of churches and Christian organisations, including Holy Trinity Brompton and Alpha Course, Christian Today, Evangelical Alliance UK, and BMS World Mission among others, which aims to hold governments to account to keep the promises they made in 2000 to alleviate world poverty by 2015.

Micah Challenge UK supporters prayed and took action in the run up to the G8, including taking to the streets of London on 2 June.

Micah Challenge's areas of concern include:

• HIV and AIDS - It is good news that the G8 has acknowledged the needs of mothers and children within the HIV and AIDS pandemic for the first time, and that it has recommitted to providing near universal access to ARVs for people with HIV and AIDS. However, it is still badly off track for delivering the ARVs, and the pledge of US$60 billion has no deadline for delivery and will not go nearly far enough to bring them on track. This means that less than half of people that need treatment will receive it and at least five million people will lose their lives.

• Climate change - while important steps have been taken to halt climate change, Micah Challenge is disappointed at the failure of all G8 countries to agree a target to keep temperature rise below 2 degrees above historic levels.

• Trade - While the G8 are saying they are committed to working together on support of regional integration and trade in Africa, the European members of the G8 are pushing trade deals on Africa that will do the opposite.

• Education - If this G8 has responded to anything it has been to the HIV and TB crises, leaving education lagging far behind by committing a meagre £250million. The British government is likely to be disappointed that the G8 hasn't risen to a full commitment on education.

• Water and Sanitation - it is a shocking omission that water and sanitation are simply not mentioned at all. G8 leaders have ignored the United Nations Development Programme, which last November called for the G8 to announce a global plan on this issue.

Micah Challenge UK Executive Director Andy Clasper said: "The Millennium Development Goals agreed by 192 world leaders in 2000 and the agreements reached in Gleneagles in 2005 provided the world with a unique opportunity to eradicate poverty during the third millennium.

"World leaders should not pass up this opportunity, but should be bolder in committing whatever resources and actions are needed to grasp it. Micah Challenge will continue to hold our leaders to account to deliver on the promises they made in 2000."

For more information about how to get involved with Micah Challenge UK - including writing to your MP and praying for issues of global poverty - visit the website www.micahchallenge.org.uk