G8, Other Rich Countries Need to Honor Commitments to Combat Global Poverty

from All Africa

Byline: Rose Mestika

Addis Ababa,- The Poverty Action Network of Civil Society Organizations in Ethiopia (PANE) announced plans to campaign in support of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and against poverty and inequality from October 17-19.

The organization called on the developed nations to respect the promises they pledged to fight poverty and help alleviate the suffering of poor people in developing countries.

The three days will be marked by meeting with Ambassadors, government officials, civil society members and others, PANE, collection of over 90civil society organizations representing various sectors and spheres disclosed yesterday.

The campaign will be having three main aims; to request for debt cancellation, to request for more and better aid and to have fair trade between the riches and the poorest country.

"Thirty-two years after many of the world's wealthy countries agreed that 0.7% of their gross national product (GNP) should be directed to international development, none of the G8 countries have reached anywhere near that level and the October 17 will be the day to reinforce them and to stand up for the success of MDGs" Eshetu Bekele Executive Director of PANE said.

PANE organized the half day event on yesterday in relation to the UN High Level Events to launch its work on the MDGs in particular and poverty reduction and development in general during the past few years.