News Release

Gordon Brown must ensure G20 do not forget the world's poorest people

Peer-Reviewed Publication

The Lancet_DELETED

The lead Editorial in this week's Lancet calls on UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to show strong and just leadership in the upcoming G20 meeting, so that the world's poorest are not forgotten in the economic downturn.

The Editorial says: "Last weekend's discussions among G20 members over finalising the agenda for the London summit does not bode well. The lack of agreement suggests that there is a real risk of the summit confusing rather than clarifying the search for fair global solutions. One cause for hope is the host of the summit, Gordon Brown, who has repeatedly called for the need to strengthen, not weaken, ambitions for alleviating poverty in the global response to the current financial crisis.

"But can Gordon Brown effectively lead other G20 leaders to embrace a development agenda at the London summit? For 30 years, developing countries have suffered far more from the failings of the international financial system than any hardship that industrialised countries are experiencing now. Poor countries should not be left out in the cold, yet again, while powerful nations make decisions that will determine the future of the world economy. Gordon Brown could be the ally of low-income countries."

A number of suggestions are made to assist the Prime Minister. It would be useful, says the Editorial, "If the countries, such as China, the UK, and the USA, who are in support of an increase in IMF voting rights of emerging markets and developing countries, attended the summit with a detailed proposal on how such a system could work." It adds that those nations that are against protectionism could, in the absence of an agreement across the G20, be brave and do what they can alone. And countries must not, like this year's G8 host Italy, cut their overseas development aid.

The Editorial says: "The High-Level Taskforce on Innovative Financing for Health Systems convened by Gordon Brown, and which will report to the UN General Assembly this September, could have a vast source of income if the G20 take the bold step of ending the practice of illegal flight capital—money leaving developing countries that escapes the detection of regulation agencies."

It concludes: "If Gordon Brown is really serious about alleviating global poverty and reducing health and social in-equalities, he must not let the London summit look inwards and ignore the plight of poorer countries. Never has there been such a need for strong and just leadership. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, we hope that you will respond to this challenge."

See also linked Comment.

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Lancet Press Office T) +44 (0) 20 7424 4949 E) pressoffice@lancet.com

For full Editorial and Comment, see: http://press.thelancet.com/g20.pdf


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