Press release: UK must urge G20 to focus on long-term global poverty reduction rather than economic quick fixes, demands CAFOD
In the shadow of the Eurozone crisis and elections in Greece, the G20 once again risks squandering the opportunity to deliver long-term structural change that shores up the global economy and improves the lot of poor people.
Aid agency CAFOD is calling on the UK to show greater vision and boldness in its contribution and leadership at the G20 to bring long-term action on poverty eradication and climate change back to the table.
CAFOD’s economics analyst Christina Weller said from Los Cabos, Mexico:
“The G20 has a remit that is significantly more far-reaching to global structures of finance and regulation than just fire-fighting and walling the situation in the Eurozone. When the patient is sick you don’t just alleviate the most evident symptoms, you start on finding the cure.
“With all eyes on the situation in Greece and the Eurozone it would be a disaster for this G20 to become a repeat of last year in France when virtually all other issues were pushed off the agenda. Alongside his support for Mexico's G20 longer-term agenda on green inclusive growth, David Cameron must show his leadership within the Group and urge world leaders to not only focus on patching up the current crisis. With the UK holding the G8 Presidency next year and the Prime Minister taking up a new role on the UN’s high-level panel to develop a successor to the Millennium Development Goals, Mr Cameron needs to prove his bold commitment to sustainable development.
“As it stands the G20 is starting to look like a talking shop that isn’t making sufficient meaningful changes to the systems that not only caused economic crisis but also persist in hobbling the poorest in the poorest countries by forcing them to try to make a living under the yoke of unequal markets and financial systems, while dealing with increasingly severe impacts of climate change.
“The UK has taken a visionary role at home - trying to improve how the economy delivers on real progress, not just growth. Making sustainability and well-being central to policy-making processes is also needed at the G20. Mr Cameron needs to be the leader willing to ask the difficult questions that challenge national vested interest and drives leaders towards a bigger picture. The G20 must not fail this year to keep its head and look at the long-term structural changes that are needed.”
Notes for editors:
For interviews and briefings with CAFOD’s economics analyst Christina Weller, please contact
ppalmer@cafod.org.uk +44 7785 950 585
CAFOD’s briefing document for the Mexico G20, can be found here:
http://bit.ly/M7BLoZ
