InterAction, along with its G-7 NGO coalition counterparts, has penned a letter to the heads of state attending the G-8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland July 6-8. It represents positions endorsed by all the global NGO coalitions, and calls for increasing aid to developing countries, canceling the debt of the world's poorest countries, and ensuring that trade agreements benefit those living in poverty. This statement follows up on a statement done for the Sea Island G8 Summit in 2004, the first time these coalitions had released a joint statement.

We are the largest alliances of overseas humanitarian and development non-governmental organisations in the G-7 nations, speaking on behalf of over 1500 groups supported by millions of citizens in our respective countries. Our work on the ground in all the developing nations of the world affords us a unique understanding of the challenges faced by citizens of these countries. There, our member organizations are working to assist the 1.2 billion people who live on less than $1 a day; the 800 million people who go to bed hungry every night; the 115 million children who are unable to attend school; and the 1,400 women who die each day because they don’t have access to basic healthcare during pregnancy and childbirth.

We applauded your leadership five years ago at the U.N. General Assembly when you joined 191 other countries in endorsing the Millennium Declaration and the key eight development goals, which have become the central international roadmap for working on poverty eradication, health, education and environmental sustainability in all parts of the world. But, as we all know, to date, implementation has fallen short.

Last year we called upon our governments to honour their pledges by developing a strategy for achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. However, no such strategy has yet emerged, raising doubts about the resolve of our governments. The time has come to deliver on the commitments our nations have made.

Time is slipping by, and the focus on the MDGs during 2005 presents the best opportunity for taking decisive action to achieve our common goals. At the G8 summit in the United Kingdom this summer, we call upon you to take action in three critical and intrinsically linked areas:

Aid

As the world’s richest countries, rapidly increase budgets that allocate your share of the funds necessary to meet the MDGs, keeping in mind that for this assistance to reach those who need it most; in particular, people in grassroots communities. Aid spending should focus on poverty eradication: of which a minimum of 20% should be allocated to basic social services and at least 70% of ODA should go to the poorest nations. S ustainability should be a priority, ensuring aid effectiveness. Our organizations encourage G8 countries to adopt concrete measures to implement any innovative, predictable and additional mechanisms for development as fast as possible.

Debt

Fully cancel the unpayable debts of the world’s poorest countries through fair and transparent means. Debt relief should be funded from new and additional resources, rather than through the diversion of funds from existing aid budgets.

Trade

Trade agreements, above all, should be development-oriented, and assure that all can share in their benefits, particularly those people who live in poverty. The international community should find general and structural solutions to end agriculture oversupply and consequently declining prices excluding millions of farmers. Countries of the Global South should have the right to determine their own trade policies in the interest of development. We call on you to show the political will and leadership to complete trade negotiations on the basis of these priorities.

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Sergio Marelli
President
Associazione Ong Italiane

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Gerry Barr
President & CEO
Canadian Council for International Co-operation

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Frans Polman
President
Concord

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Mohammad Akhter, MD, MPH
President & CEO
InterAction

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Yoshitaka Funato
Chair of the Board
Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation (JANIC)

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Reinhard Hermle
Chair of the Board
Association of German Development NGO’s (VENRO)