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G20 Summit does little for international development agenda

1 October 2009

G20 Leaders met in Pittsburgh on 24-25 September for another high level summit to discuss ways out of the international financial crisis.

At the London Summit in April, G20 leaders committed to $50bn to poor countries; yet up to half of these resources are still to be materialised. It remains unclear how G20 countries will provide the necessary resources through 2010 to support developing countries in these difficult times.

Nick Roseveare, Chief Executive of Bond says: “The G20 communiqué does refer to the impact of the financial crisis on the poorest. Yet, it does not commit to the most urgently needed actions.

International civil society including the Put People First platform in the UK has been calling on the G20 to act, yet we have not seen sufficient specific actions to protect the poorest.”

The G20 did commit to reform the governance structures of the IMF and the World Bank - to give emerging economies and developing countries a stronger share of decision making power. Yet, the proposals do not go far enough to fact that global financial architecture needs to be reformed substantially.

Climate change is a critical area of current international discussion, yet it is only touched upon in the G20 Communiqué, deferring any discussion about climate financing to the G20 Finance Ministers meeting taking place in November. The Communiqué missed the opportunity to give a much needed strong signal to negotiating parties ahead of the UNFCCC Conference in Copenhagen.

Bond’s engagement

Ahead of the London G20 Summit in April, Bond brought together more than 200 development NGOs, trade unions and environmental groups under the banner Put People First – to call for a democratic and accountable economy that delivers decent jobs, global justice and a safe climate.

The same headlines – Jobs, Justice and Climate - were used by Bond’s partner networks in the United States, and the Global Call to Action against Poverty this autumn, who organised demonstrations and counter-conferences to help set the agenda of the Pittsburgh G20 summit.

The G20 Finance ministers return to the UK in early November. To mark the event, Bond and more than 25 other organisations have come together to organise G20 Counter Conferences in London and St Andrews on Saturday 7 November.

These events will explore progress since the April London Summit and ways forward for the movement for jobs, justice and climate.

Responses by Bond members and partner networks:

GCAP Press Release
Oxfam GB
CAFOD