Leaders of the G8 developed nations have pledged $20bn (£12bn) for efforts to boost food supplies to the hungry, on the final day of a summit in Italy.The investment, which is $5bn more than had been expected, will fund a three-year initiative to help poor nations develop their own agriculture. US President Barack Obama said the issue of food security was of huge importance to all nations in the world. Richer nations had a moral obligation to help poorer nations, he said. Mr Obama added that the G8 nations had agreed to commit $15bn for the new initiative going into Friday's meeting, but had then promised an additional $5bn in "hard commitments" during the talks.
Leaders of the G8 developed nations have pledged $20bn (£12bn) for efforts to boost food supplies to the hungry, on the final day of a summit in Italy.
The investment, which is $5bn more than had been expected, will fund a three-year initiative to help poor nations develop their own agriculture.
US President Barack Obama said the issue of food security was of huge importance to all nations in the world.
Richer nations had a moral obligation to help poorer nations, he said.
Mr Obama added that the G8 nations had agreed to commit $15bn for the new initiative going into Friday's meeting, but had then promised an additional $5bn in "hard commitments" during the talks.
World leaders prepared for talks on food security and the threat of starvation facing millions by eating a six-course meal featuring truffles and a different wine to match each course. At talks on Friday, the US will push G8 leaders meeting in L'Aquila, Italy, to commit to a $15 billion fund to be used to invest in improving farming standards in developing countries. Britain would contribute $1.8 billion. Gordon Brown said: "There is a need to show the world we will take action to stop what is a farming and food emergency."But before talkes on hunger, the assembled world leaders on Thursday sat down to a gala diner prepared by Michele Persechini, personal chef to Silvio Berlusoni, Italy's billionaire prime minister.
At talks on Friday, the US will push G8 leaders meeting in L'Aquila, Italy, to commit to a $15 billion fund to be used to invest in improving farming standards in developing countries. Britain would contribute $1.8 billion.
Gordon Brown said: "There is a need to show the world we will take action to stop what is a farming and food emergency."
But before talkes on hunger, the assembled world leaders on Thursday sat down to a gala diner prepared by Michele Persechini, personal chef to Silvio Berlusoni, Italy's billionaire prime minister.
And the boys have fun
I mean FUN!!!
So, what else can you expect?
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Leaders from the Group of Eight industrialised countries agreed to donate $20 billion (€14.3bn) to developing countries on Friday (10 July), $5 billion (€3.6bn) more than was originally anticipated. The money will fund a three-year initiative to help poorer countries develop their agriculture. The new funding is largely targeted towards Africa "We believe that the purpose of aid must be to create the conditions where it's no longer needed, to help people become self-sufficient," said US president Barack Obama after the meeting. European commission president Jose Manuel Barroso called the decision "a clear commitment to food security." The G8 countries are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with Spain also attending this time round.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Leaders from the Group of Eight industrialised countries agreed to donate $20 billion (€14.3bn) to developing countries on Friday (10 July), $5 billion (€3.6bn) more than was originally anticipated.
The money will fund a three-year initiative to help poorer countries develop their agriculture.
The new funding is largely targeted towards Africa
"We believe that the purpose of aid must be to create the conditions where it's no longer needed, to help people become self-sufficient," said US president Barack Obama after the meeting.
European commission president Jose Manuel Barroso called the decision "a clear commitment to food security."
The G8 countries are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with Spain also attending this time round.
