June 26-27, 2002
Key Documents
The Old 'New Partnership' (June 28, 2002)
"At Kananaskis, disappointment was the order of the day". While many hoped for a major breakthrough in the development plan for Africa, the summit ended with empty promises filled with vague initiatives. (Global Policy Forum)
Hidden in the Mountains (June 27, 2002)
The remoteness of Kananaskis Village has successfully kept G8 leaders tucked away from protesters. Anti-G8 activists in Calgary are far fewer than in Genoa in 2001, because many people held protests in their home cities instead. (Global Policy Forum)
Dissent and Alternatives (June 26, 2002)
As the G8 begins its meeting in Kananaskis, surrounded by tanks and swarms of security forces, in nearby Calgary the counter-summit protests have begun. The G8 Summit Group of Six Billion People's Summit (G6B), a civil society parallel forum, looks at socially responsible alternatives to the policies of G8 countries. (Global Policy Forum)
NEPAD: The Plan in Fashion (June 25, 2002)
Is NEPAD, as many claim, the plan that will save Africa? A closer look at this "one-size-fits-all solution" shows that the proposal fails to address some of Africa's most urgent problems such as AIDS and exploitation, and excludes African civil society from the process. (Global Policy Forum)
The G8 and Everyone Else (June 24, 2002)
G8 leaders are convening in Kananaskis, Canada to discuss "the state of the global economy, the progress of the war on terrorism, and a new development partnership with Africa." As nine heads of state and many prominent "special guests" will be present, police forces are stepping up "stringent security arrangements" against terrorism and enterprising anti-G8 activists". (Global Policy Forum)
Documents and Aricles
Stop Blaming The Poor (July 2002)
The author accuses the G8 of not taking responsibility for "their own roles in perpetrating further injustice on Africa's people." The outcome of the Kananaskis Summit shows that the members care more about nuclear sites, farm subsidies and the war on terror than they do for the development of the African continent. (OneWorld)
G8: Failing Model of Global Governance (July 2002)
Foreign Policy in Focus examines the G8's concentrated hold on power in global governance. The article states that "for many NGOs and developing countries, the G8 summit remains a symbol of elite global governance" with increasing concerns about "the forum's effectiveness."
Africa Betrayed: The Aid Workers' Verdict (June 28, 2002)
Aid agencies and NGOs, greatly disappointed with the outcome of the Kananaskis Summit, are accusing the G8 countries of "offering peanuts to Africa - and recycled peanuts at that." (Guardian)
Amnesty International Indicts G-8 Over Peace in Africa (June 25, 2002)
Amnesty accuses G8 countries of "undermining peace and security in Africa, the Middle East and Asia" claiming that in 2000 the superpowers exported more than $29 billion worth of arms to developing countries. The organization wants this issue to be addressed at the upcoming summit. (allAfrica)
Aid Is Fine - But Trade is What Poor Countries Need Most (June 25, 2002)
As African nations attend the G8 Summit in Kananaskis, talks about aid and debt relief become the most pressing issues. The International Chamber of Commerce, a bastion of transnational business, claims that aid and debt relief pale in comparison to the need for trade. This article argues that "without the ability to sell their products, the African countries will never achieve the economic growth they need. Trade barriers will cancel the benefits of aid programs."
A Guide to Who's Who, What's What at Summit (June 24, 2002)
This article from the National Post provides some information into the logistics of the G8 summit.
Aid Groups Pan G7 Debt-Relief Plan (June 17, 2002)
G7 Foreign Ministers stand proud in their commitment to provide aid and loans to poor developing nations, as they draft a formal letter to present to their countries' leaders at the G8 Summit in Kananaskis. However, in reality the promises are futile in both quantity and action, argues Globe and Mail.
