The July 2008 issue of the magazine 'Global Perspectives' focuses on the recent G8 summit in Japan.Ramesh Jaura (IPS) looks back to the 1981 Cancun Summit on international cooperation and development which brought together many state representatives from North and South. The summit provided an impulse for future discussions on agriculture, energy, raw materials, trade, development and financial policy.
During the recent G8 summit in Japan, climate was added to this list. According to Mr. Jaura, the summit was correctly criticized for not taking concrete decisions. But documents emerging from the summit, including the Interim Report on the Heiligendamm Process, give hope for more cooperative North-South relations.
In an opinion article, Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner of Human Rights at the Council of Europe, calls for revisions to international policy on terrorism. The author stresses the importance of human rights protection and recommends a report by the Committee on the Administration of Justice which looks on lessons learned in Northern Ireland's fight against terrorism.
Thalif Deen (IPS New York) presents new numbers on the telecommunication market in Africa. With a rise from 16 Million to 250 Million mobile phone users from 2000 to 2007, Africa has the highest growth rates of the world. Less inspiring is the number of internet users, with 4 out of 100 Africans connected, and less than 1% with broadband connections.
Also in this issue is an interview Jon Lidén (GTZ) who speaks about the future challenges for the 'Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria' and the new engagement of the German government , and an interview with Simon Maxwell (ODI) on European aid targets and the MDG agenda.
Global Perspectives is a bi-lingual (English/German) publication by IPS Europe. It releases monthly editions on various themes of international cooperation and development and is available for free download.
See also Euforic newsfeed on IPS Europe.
by Martin Behrens