Action for the whole world needed from the G20 in London today
April 2, 2009 8:00 AM
Mark Blackburn on a march ahead of the G20 summit
Commenting on the G20 meeting in London today [Thursday 2nd April], Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for the Cities of London and Westminster, Naomi Smith, said:
"The G20 must come up with a concrete plan to tackle the deep economic challenges facing us as well as fixing the underlying problems that led us to where we are.
"That is not all however. The presidents and prime ministers must go much further. This is a real opportunity to address some of the deep-seated and shameful injustices that exist in the global economic system. Solutions must work for the poor countries of the world, not just the rich.
"Developing nations have received many promises in the past, which in the end come to nothing. They have heard it all before. The G20 meeting must not make the same mistake."
Fellow Westminster candidate, Mark Blackburn, who is standing for the party in the new constituency of Westminster North, added:
"The response to this crisis that we have seen from western governments, such as our own, has been utterly unprecedented. Hundreds of billions have been committed, and 'trillion' is now a word we hear and read regularly in news reports.
"We must not forget however that this is an emergency that is happening across the globe. In poorer countries however their governments do not have the billions to save their economies. They are being hit hard. What is more, they have no real voice on the world stage as solutions are being hammered out.
"They need urgent support. To our collective shame, the international community failed to honour its pledges to the developing world during the good years. Now, the global downturn has pushed the concerns of the developing countries even further to the margin.
"If we commit only a fraction of the determination and resources committed to saving our own national economies, the international community could bring the developing world back from the brink. Collective action is essential to prevent a dramatic downturn in social progress in the developing world.
Naomi added, "This is not just about the duty of the rich world, but also about its self-interest. In a globalised world problems can spread quickly. Whether it is financial problems, environmental damage, political instability and violence, or migration, the problems of the developing world are firmly those of the developed world too."
To read the Liberal Democrats' 10-point plan for the G20, including a £1bn UK stimulus plan for the developing countries, visit http://tinyurl.com/libdemg20plan
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