Poverty in Africa Tops Today's Agenda for G8 Summit

(Mon July 7 08-RV) The G8 meeting of world leaders is underway in the Japanese resort of Hokkaido today. The rising cost of food and fuel are the issues set to dominate the three days of talks.  The issue of povertyin Africa topped the agenda of the Group of Eight nations’ 3-day annual summit today, along with the continuing crisis in Zimbabwe. As G8 leaders held talks with African heads of state, activists accused the rich nations' of back-pedalling on pledges to increase aid to the world's poorest continent. Mel Beardon is the Advocacy Press Officer for the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development. She says that CAFOD is calling for G8 leaders to fulfil their 2010 goals.