Regular talks between G8 and Least Developed countries stressed

from the New Nation

A round table discussion on the outcome of the recent G8 meeting stressed the need for repeated talks between rich countries and poor ones. - Kale

Speakers at a roundtable here on Monday underlined the need for holding regular dialogues between leaders of G-8 countries and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) for cutting poverty and achieving sustainable growth of the global economy.

The large and small economies need to interact regularly to find out ways for facing the current challenges of food and energy security, climate change and price hike of oil and other commodities, they said.

The roundtable styled 'Outcome of the G8 Summit in Japan' was organised by Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) at its conference room at Gulshan here.

BEI president Farooq Sobhan moderated the roundtable while Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Masayuki Inoue presented the keynote paper.

German Ambassador to Bangladesh Frank Meyke, former Ambassador Harun-ur-Rashid and KZ Islam took part as the designated speakers. Counselor of Japan Embassy in Dhaka Masami Tamura gave a presentation on G8 summit, held in Japan from July 7 to 9 last.

In the G8 summit, Masayuki said, the G8 leaders adopted a declaration and also adopted three independent statements on global food security, counter-terrorism and Zimbabwe.

He said, Japan gave commitment to provide the developing countries with support for both adaptation with climate change and reduction of Green House Gases (GHG). Presently, the Japan government is talking with the Bangladesh government about providing assistance for facing the adverse effects of climate change, as the country is one of the most vulnerable countries in this regard.

Farooq Sobhan said, the implementation of G8 summit declaration is important for the global politics and economy.

The issues of economic growth of developing and under developing countries need to be addressed more in the G8 summit, he said.

Hrun-ur-Rashid said, for G8 summit, core issue should be poverty reduction. Unless poverty not reduces, fundamentalism and terrorism would increase, he added.

KZ Islam said, G8 summit needs to act more effectively to address the global problem rather being a forum of exchanging gratitude.

In his presentation, Masami Tamura said, in the statement of food security, adopted in the summit, the G8 leaders said food security requires a robust world market and trade system for food and agriculture and it is imperative to remove export restriction.

During the summit, the leaders also call for ensuring the sustainable production and use of bio- fuels and accelerate development of second generation bio-fuels from non-food plant materials, he said.

The G8 leaders seeking to share with all parties to the UNFCCC the vision of the goal of achieving at least 50 percent reduction of global emissions by 2050, Tamura said.

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