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G8 summit opens with spotlight on aid for Africa, food and Zimbabwe
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-07-07 14:43
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda (R) shakes hands with U.S. President George W. Bush in a greeting ceremony hosted by Fukuda in the first official day of the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit, at Lake Toyoko, Hokkaido Prefecture, northern Japan，July 7, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)

Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda (R) shakes hands with US President George W. Bush in a greeting ceremony hosted by Fukuda in the first official day of the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit, at Lake Toyoko, Hokkaido Prefecture, northern Japan，July 7, 2008. [Xinhua]

"I'm concerned about people going hungry. We'll be very constructive in the dialogue about the environment.  I care about the environment, but today there's too much suffering in the continent of Africa," Bush said during a press conference after a one-on-one meeting Sunday with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, host of the gathering.

"Now is the time for the comfortable nations to step up and do something about it," Bush said.

Aid to Africa was the centerpiece of the G-8 summit three years ago in Gleneagles, Scotland, where leaders pledged to double aid to the continent to US$25 billion by 2010 and to cancel the debt of the most heavily indebted poor nations.

Collectively, the G-8 has delivered just US$3 billion of the US$25 billion pledged to Africa in 2005, according or Debt, AIDS and Trade in Africa, or DATA, an advocacy group founded by U2 singer Bono and music producer Bob Geldof.

Germany, the US and Britain were following through on commitments, while progress from Japan, France, Italy and Canada was either unclear or weak, DATA said.

"We desperately need to see more money from the G-8, and for it to be new money," said Max Lawson from Oxfam International, another advocacy group.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development reported in April that foreign aid by major donor countries slumped in 2007 as debt-relief plans tapered off and amid a global economic downturn in Japan and some other rich nations.

Japan said there has been no backtracking on commitments made by the G-8 to Africa.