Tearfund welcomes Brown's Global Poverty Pledge

Christian relief and development agency Tearfund has welcomed incoming Prime Minister Gordon Brown's pledge to "wage an unremitting battle" against global poverty. The aid agency warned, however, that "more rapid and deeper action" by governments will be required to meet pledges to halve poverty by 2015.

Andy Atkins, Tearfund Advocacy Director, said he was "very encouraged" by Mr Brown's announcement that he would strengthen and enhance the work of the Department for International Development, and align aid, debt relief and trade policies in a fight against poverty, illiteracy, disease and environmental degradation.

"Few could doubt Mr Brown's personal commitment to tackling poverty - but the world needs faster movement on aid, climate change, trade, and debt," he said.

"The UK Government remains in a strong position to continue influencing global policies affecting poor people. We urge Mr Brown to use his enhanced influence as the new Prime Minister to step up the pace."

Tearfund said that Mr Brown had an immediate opportunity to tackle the causes of climate change by ensuring that the new Climate Change Bill committed the UK to an 80 per cent reduction in emissions by 2050.

It was also important that Mr Brown push for international adoption of a Global Action Plan on sanitation and water for the 1.1 and 2.6 billion people respectively who lack these basic human requirements, affirmed the aid agency.

Continued Mr Atkins: "In 2005 when Mr Brown spoke by video link to Elinata Kasanga, a Zambian subsistence farmer supported by Tearfund's church partners, he told her that 'every child should have free education in Africa, and we must have healthcare systems which give free healthcare to children and families'. For Elinata and millions of people like her such services remain far off dreams."