At The Table

Last week was one of the busiest in Toronto, Canada where leaders from eight richest and 20 richest nations of the world are meeting to discuss various issues pertaining to global development.

The majority of the people of Africa remain the poorest, yet the continent is endowed with so many resources. One of the biggest challenges of our time in international development is how to assist the poorest in a very sustainable way. The aid, advice and technical assistance from development agencies and rich nations including the G8 should not be conflicting. This explains why I felt honoured as an African to come face to face with the G8 Sherpas in Vancouver, Canada on 16 April 2010.

The Civil G8 Dialogue was preceded by a Town hall meeting on the 14th of April 2010 at the Coal Coast Harbour Hotel in Vancouver. The aim of the town hall meeting, organized by Make Poverty History Canada was to provide some an opportunity for activists from Vancouver and overseas to interact, discuss and share development issues and concerns; as well as enable those from Vancouver who would not attend the summit as a result of limited capacity to learn and share ideas about the issues that would be addressed at the Civil G8 Dialogue.