Thinking Gleneagles? Think Chatham House

7 June 2005

Chatham House will be publishing a PRE-SUMMIT REPORT, organising EVENTS and putting forward SPEAKERS on the G8 Summit at Gleneagles.

Africa
The situation in Africa has seen little improvement since the plight of the continent first came into the global consciousness in the 1980s. However solving African underdevelopment, the core issue of debate at this year's G8 meeting, is not as clear-cut as some make out.

The message from Chatham House researchers is that whilst strong signs of economic liberalisation and a move toward greater integration into the global economy are good for Africa, there is a gaping hole in the efforts needed to support economic growth with real social and political development on the continent. The issue of African development needs to shift away from rigid ideas of debt relief and economic aid and instead take a wider approach, which includes ideas on governance and new thinking on the form and structure of aid.

However, there is little chance of any significant progress in terms of external help for Africa at next month's G8 meeting. There are still simply too many clashes of interest between the G8 members that will preclude any real agreement on how to move forward on Africa. It is also debatable whether groups pressuring the G8 delegates have a real grasp of the best way to aid the continent.

Climate Change
On climate change, the other big issue on the agenda for this summer's G8 meeting, the political differences between the countries seem just as intractable. But there are signs of possible progression, if not revolutionary breakthrough.

The upcoming Russian presidency of the G8 may focus on energy - potentially a good vehicle for integrating the climate change debate into wider economic policy, which would be a strongly progressive step, particularly if the process of outreach from the G8 to other major developing economies is continued.

The current round of talks under the UK presidency could see progress on spending commitments at Gleneagles in order to get the process of climate change adaptation, if not mitigation, up and running. If this happens the G8 will have agreed on one central issue at the meeting and this may at least prove that agreement and progress are possible between the drivers of the global economy.

Oil
Chatham House will also be looking at the core issue of oil, the world's core commodity. In a separate report, Chatham House answers the question of why oil doesn't work for Africa and discusses how developed nations can best structure aid to the world's poor oil exporters.

Contact details:
We have a number of experts who offer media comment on G8 issues:

General press enquiries
Sam Hardy
Chatham House Press Office
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7957 5739
Mob: +44 (0) 7946 642 205

Africa
Tom Cargill
Tel +44 (0) 20 7957 5718
Mob: +44 (0) 7971 643 150

Alex Vines
Tel +44 (0) 20 7957 5713

Manuel Paulo
Tel +44 (0) 20 7957 5718
Mob +44 (0) 7803 176730

Economics
Professor Victor Bulmer-Thomas
Tel +44 (0) 20 7957 5739

Paola Subacchi
Tel +44 (0) 20 7314 3640

Stephen Thomsen
Tel: +33 553061940 (Based in Paris)

Climate change
Richard Tarasofsky
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7 7957 5751
Mob: +44 (0) 7956 390 562

Will Blyth
Tel: +44 (0) 20 1865 762 115
Mob: +44 (0) 7821 935930

Oil and Energy
Keith Myers
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8742 8203
Mob: +44 (0) 7801 264500

The World Today articles:
The G8 and Russia - Precarious Respectability
Bobo Lo

The G8 and Africa - Good, bad and ugly
Michael Peel

G8 Summit - Generating the Gleneagles Effect
Nicholas Bayne

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