Media release

March 27, 2009

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Don’t forget the developing world at the G20

Caritas Australia is calling on G20 leaders to put the poor in the developing world front and centre at next weeks London Summit.

“International bailouts from the financial crisis have exceed $4 trillion USD – yet an increase of about $50 billion per year would ensure we meet the Millennium Development Goals”, says Caritas Australia CEO Jack de Groot.

“The international community has already made these commitments but we are failing to meet them – we need political will and leadership”, said Mr de Groot.

“The world is reeling from the outfall of the financial crisis but tens of millions of the world’s poorest are most vulnerable of falling back into dehumanizing poverty if the international community continues to focus only on their domestic economic woes”, warns Mr de Groot.

“Yesterday we heard, with Prime Minister Rudd, that between 200,000 and 400,000 children will perish every year if the international community does not recommit itself to the Millennium Development Goals”, said Mr de Groot.

“This means over the next six years as we reach the culmination of the Millennium Development Goals, the international plan to halve degrading poverty, up to 2.8 million children’s lives are in dispute.

“This year alone 46 million people are threatened with falling back into poverty. We must galvanise our political and economic will and ensure we meet the MDGs and continue to progress.

“44 million people are already estimated to have fallen back into a situation where they go to bed hungry every single night following last years food crisis.

“The Australian Government has showed enormous fortitude in keeping to its commitment to meet the Millennium Development Goals and we are seeing the same support of the Australian community through our current Project Compassion appeal. Prime Minister Rudd must be bringing this voice of the most marginalised to London next week.

“The Millennium Development Goals are a once in a lifetime opportunity and although we have a long way to go to achieve them, achieving them is still possible: we just need the political will and the economic resources”, said Mr de Groot.

Caritas Australia and AusAID are currently conducting the Blueprint for A Better World Exhibition: The Millennium Development Goals and YOU exhibition around Australia and it will launch in Rockhampton Queensland on the 31st March 2009.

More information contact Tim O’Connor (02) 8306 3400 or 0417 284 831