G8 reaches deal for world's poor

[MaineDem]

The move provides relief for 18 nations, mostly in Africa, freeing up revenue for spending on health, education and development.

The agreement was announced at a meeting of G8 finance ministers in London on Saturday.

Britain, which will host a summit of G8 leaders next month, has vowed to make poverty reduction a priority.

The plan, which was devised by the UK, secured the backing of the US administration on Friday - paving the way for its adoption at the London meeting.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4083676.stm

[fasttense]

1. I wonder if we could get our debt with China written off?

Eventually we will be very poor. Will our Nation's debt ever disappear? I doubt it. These nations are the poorest in the world. Will the US eventually be as bad off as they are?

[dArKeR]

2. I want to see the cost of holding one of these summits. Not just the

leaders but all their assistants, booze, massages, golf, prostitutes, security... then the staff that hangs around a week afterwards.

[undergroundpanther]

4. I'd like to see

These rich fucks be forced answer questions from the public (not a picked and chosen"public") in front of a bunch of cameras newspaper reporters and all during one of their little parties and be forced to release ALL THEIR MINUTES to the public.

I like these assholes to be held accountable for their decisions they just foist upon the world.

[Toots]

6. Not to mention a full battle group sent to protect Bush*

He needs a real Army to protect him he is sooo hated throughout the world.

[DawnneOBTS]

3. Our future

To be sold into slavery in China and an assortment of third-world countries by W. Since the Chinese are starting to protest their poor working conditions, W. will do anything possible to keep those jobs going overseas-to China, India, etc.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Guardian Utd: £30bn debts write-off agreed

From the Guardian Unlimited (UK)
Dated Saturday June 11

£30bn debts write-off agreed
G7 package brokered by chancellor will benefit 18 of world's poorest countries immediately
By Larry Elliott and Ashley Seager

Eighteen of the world's poorest countries will have their debts to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund wiped out as part of a $55bn (£30.4bn) package agreed today by the G7 leading economies.

After weeks of intense negotiations, a deal brokered by the chancellor, Gordon Brown, will save countries such as Mozambique and Ethiopia a total of $15bn in debt payments over the next 10 years.

The Treasury said last night that a further nine countries would qualify for debt relief within 12-18 months, and that the total could rise to almost 40 once countries beset by civil war resolved their conflicts.

"The uniqueness of this deal is that so much would be written off almost immediately - more than $40bn within a few weeks of the agreement", Mr Brown said. "When I started this it was one country that would qualify but now it's 27 and potentially it's 37."

Read more.

ON EDIT

£30 billion = approx. $40 billion

[tuvor]

7. Rich nations agree to scrap African debt

LONDON (Reuters) - The world's wealthiest countries agreed on Saturday to write off more than $40 billion of African debts.

The deal struck by finance ministers from the Group of Eight industrialized nations is part of a British-led campaign to rid sub-Saharan Africa of poverty and diseases such as malaria and
AIDS that kill millions every year.

British Finance Minister Gordon Brown said the deal would provide 100 percent write-offs immediately for 18 countries and that more countries would qualify for relief later.

"This is the most comprehensive statement the finance ministers have ever made on debt and poverty," he told a news conference.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/group_dc;_ylt=Ai78bbPFRbnq3YXca1SLEw4DW7oF;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl