DEAUVILLE, France, May 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- G8 leaders meeting in France promised in their final declaration to be "fully transparent" in meeting development pledges but NGOs are troubled by vague timelines, particularly in the crucial areas of food and agriculture.
"When it comes to giving basic, practical milestones, G8 leaders have once again fallen short. We need specifics," said Samuel A. Worthington, president and CEO of InterAction, the biggest alliance of U.S.-based international NGOs.
Of particular concern is the slow disbursement for food and agriculture programs, part of a $22 billion, three-year pledge made at a G8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy, in 2009.
Midway into the L'Aquila pledge, only 22 percent of those funds have been spent, with a further 26 percent still in the process of being disbursed. The final statement said the total amount would be disbursed "or allocated" in full by the end of the pledging period, but such non-specific language implies that original timelines will not be met.
"It is taking too long to get this money out the door. With current budget crises, particularly in my own country, I fear these goals will not be met," said Worthington.
The United States, which hosts the G8 next year, has been particularly slow in paying out money under the L'Aquila initiative, disbursing just $73.4 million in the 2010 fiscal year even though Washington's commitment was for $1.385 billion.
G8 countries are also falling short on commitments they made in 2005 when they promised development assistance would increase by around $50 billion by 2010. There is a gap of $19 billion in "constant" (adjusted for inflation) dollars.
"This is not fair to developing countries who are trying to make their own fiscal plans and be transparent themselves. The G8 is not setting a good example," said Worthington.
One area where InterAction commends the G8 is in their commitment for financial sector reform and mitigating commodity price volatility, which have pushed millions more into poverty in recent months due to high food costs. Plans to support transparency in the extractive industry are also welcome.
InterAction is the largest alliance of U.S.-based nongovernmental international organizations with more than 190 members. Our members operate in every developing country, working with local communities to overcome poverty and suffering by helping to improve their quality of life. Visit www.interaction.org.
SOURCE InterAction
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