Ban: G20 nations must not forget plight of world’s poor by UN News & agencies 5:51am 10th Nov, 2010   Nov. 2010 (UN News)    The world’s richest nations must take into account the needs of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people in their plans for reinforcing the global economic recovery – that was one of the key messages from the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the Group of 20 (G20).    “The global economic recovery remains fragile; 64 million people have been pushed into extreme poverty this year. Everywhere there is economic insecurity and anxiety about jobs,” said the United Nations chief. “We cannot afford to think narrowly about development and economic growth.”    Mr. Ban made his remarks at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents Club, following meetings with leaders of the Republic of Korea, the hosts of the G20 gathering, which is taking place for the first time in a country that is not a member of the Group of Eight (G8) major economies. The G20 brings together industrialized and developing economies to discuss key issues in the global economy.    The Secretary-General highlighted three vital development messages that he is bringing to the summit, beginning with the need to keep the promise on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a series of targets agreed to by all countries and leading development institutions to meet the needs of the world’s poorest.    He also stressed the need for strategic investment, particularly the need to invest resources in areas that address the interconnections among problems, and the need to advance the fight against climate change. “The more we delay, the more we pay,” Mr. Ban said.    10 Nov. 2010    G20 should ensure recovery fights poverty. (Oxfam)    World leaders have an opportunity to reform the global economy to ensure that the one in six people who live in extreme poverty benefit from economic recovery, international agency Oxfam said ahead of the G20 summit.    As the first non-G8 member to host a G20 heads of state summit, South Korea has made development a central part of its agenda with a focus on boosting poor countries’ growth. But Oxfam is concerned that progress towards tackling poverty could be derailed by rows over currency valuations and monetary policies.    Oxfam is calling on the G20 to forge a new Seoul Development Consensus to replace the failed Washington Consensus of the past. The new consensus should combine financial support for health, education and poor farmers in developing countries with action to make the global economy work in the interests of poor countries.    A narrow focus on growth would not be enough on its own to tackle poverty, the international agency warned. From 1981-2001, when the Washington Consensus was at its height, the world economy grew by $19 trillion but people living in extreme poverty received only 1.5 percent of that.    Takumo Yamada, Oxfam Policy Manager, said: “Too often in the past, the poorest have been denied the benefits of growth. The G20 needs to show that this time it will be different.    “Millions of people have been pushed into extreme poverty by the economic crisis and are facing cuts in already threadbare healthcare, education and social support.    “The G20 has the chance this week to make great progress in tackling poverty. It would be a tragedy if poor people became casualties of conflict over currencies.”    The World Bank estimates that the global slump has pushed 64 million more people into extreme poverty, forcing them to live off less than $1.25 a day. Research for Oxfam shows that 56 poor countries face a $65bn fiscal hole in their budgets as a result of the economic crisis.    Oxfam is pressing the G20 to agree a package of specific measures to help poor countries, including:    * A tax on the major OECD financial centers to fund development. A financial transaction tax could raise $400bn per year.    * Rich countries to deliver on their aid promises. Investment in health, education and poor farmers is essential to economic development;    * Action to curb speculation on commodity markets that has contributed to almost 1 billion people going hungry;    * Regulation to protect poor people from the adverse effects of ‘land-grabs’ which have seen huge swathes of prime agricultural areas taken by foreigners;    * A real say for poor countries in the global economic decisions that affect them – at least 3 full seats at the G20 and root and branch reform of the IMF.    Yamada said: “The G20 should learn from its own experience of what works. Korea’s recent success in economic development was achieved with the help of billions of dollars of aid which helped fund vital health and education, as well as land reform to ensure fair access for the poor.    “Rich countries must not use the economic crisis or the G20’s focus on growth to wriggle out of their commitments to the world’s poorest at a time when they need help more than ever.”    Nov 2010 (World Vision)    G20 leaders must scale up efforts to boost food security. The factors that caused the 2008 food crisis, pushing 100 million more people into hunger, remain unaddressed.    Extreme climate is impacting on food supplies.    Between August and July this year wheat prices rose between 25 and 50 per cent, highlighting how quickly the security of the world’s food supply can be changed.    The G20 can do much to reduce the volatility of food prices. Worldwide investment in agriculture must increase with support for small-scale farmers, especially to women who produce 60-80 per cent of the food in many developing countries delivered.    Greater priority needs to be given to the nutrition of pregnant women and children under two years of age, due to the effect of this period on lifelong health.    The Leading Group on Innovative Financing and Human Development estimates that there is likely to be a shortfall of at least $300 billion per year in funding for development assistance and developing country climate change needs by 2020. It is clear that new and additional sources of finance need to be established and the G20 is needs to act in this regard.    The G20 needs to ensure all countries are on track to meet the Millennium Development Goals, the world’s agreed blueprint to tackle ongoing global poverty. Visit the related web page
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