At Their Georgia Summit, G-8 Nations Fail to Cancel Debt for World's Poorest Countries

Interview with Njoki Njehu, director of the 50 Years is Enough Network, conducted by Scott Harris

Heads of state representing the world's wealthiest nations -- the U.S., Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Russian and Japan -- or Group of 8, convened on Sea Island, Georgia for their annual gathering. There, with the protection of thousands of federal, state and local police, the leaders dealt with issues related to the U.S. occupation of Iraq - including a vain request from President Bush for NATO to send troops to Iraq or assist in the training of Iraqi soldiers.

The G-8 leaders also discussed a range of other issues, which included endorsing of a plan to encourage international cooperation to develop an AIDS vaccine; working to combat famine across the developing world and a commitment to deploy more peacekeeping forces to quell conflicts in Africa. But despite press reports that the G-8 would sign on to a plan put forward by British Prime Minister Tony Blair to cancel the dept of the world's most impoverished nations -- the leaders opted only to extend by two years an existing initiative to reduce those debts.

Protesters who have in recent years staged large demonstrations opposing the policies of the G-8, the World Trade Organization, World Bank and International Monetary Fund, were hard to find in Georgia due in part to the remoteness of the summit site and an extremely heavy police presence. But members of non-governmental organizations who have worked hard in recent years to promote debt cancellation were at the summit to pronounce the G-8's failure to dump the debt as a tragedy that will cost many lives. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Njoki Njehu, director of the 50 Years Is Enough Network, who explains why an initiative to cancel 100 percent of the debt for the world's poorest countries is crucial to saving the lives of millions.

Contact the 50 Years is Enough Network by calling (202)-IMF-BANK or visit their website at www.50years.org

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"Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: httC://www.btlonline.org

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