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G8 summit opens with spotlight on aid for Africa, food and Zimbabwe

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-07-07 14:43

RUSUTSU-- Aid for Africa and whether enough is coming from the world's major economic powers was in the spotlight Monday as the Group of Eight nations prepared to meet with seven African leaders at their annual summit.

Group of Eight (G8) leaders pose for a photograph in front of bamboo for Japan's traditional star festival during a social event at the Windsor Hotel Toya in Toyako Town, Hokkaido, Japan, on Monday, July 7, 2008. From left to right, the leaders are Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Japan's Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, U.S. President George W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission. [Xinhua]

Activists have accused some G-8 countries, particularly France, Canada and Italy, of skimping on aid to Africa, and urged them to ramp up their contributions. The remaining G-8 countries are Japan, Britain, Germany, Russia and the US.

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel also has urged G-8 leaders to take a tough stance on Zimbabwe in the wake of President Robert Mugabe's widely denounced election win. Mugabe was the only candidate in the runoff after his opponent dropped out amid reports of state-sponsored violence.

US President George W. Bush, arriving Sunday for his eighth and final Group of Eight summit, emphasized the urgency of providing aid for Africa, calling on wealthy nations to provide mosquito nets and other aid to prevent children from "needlessly dying from mosquito bites."

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