Christian relief and development charity World Vision is telling G20 leaders not to sideline the world’s poorest countries when they meet in London for talks on the global financial crisis next week.

World Vision is among the hundred NGOs and faith-based organisations planning to march through central London on Saturday to put pressure on the G20 leaders to agree economic measures that put people first.

Speaking from Nairobi in Kenya, World Vision’s Advocacy Director for Africa, Sue Mbaya, expressed concern that G20 leaders would pursue a narrow agenda centred on piecemeal financial regulation.

“The summit will have failed if it doesn’t reach firm agreement on measures to protect the poorest and most vulnerable people around the world who are being hit by the secondary effects of the financial crisis,” she said.

Estimates from the World Bank that the crisis will push 53 million more people into poverty were, she added, a “double whammy” for Africa after price hikes in food and fuel drove more than 130 million people into poverty in 2008.

“These numbers, and the human reality behind them, cannot be ignored,” said Mbaya.

World Vision is warning G20 leaders that the Millennium Development Goals to halve global poverty will not be met if they do not act now.

“Already the World Bank projects a loss of 200,000 to 400,000 more child lives a year if the crisis persists, leading to a total of 1.4 to 2.8 million child deaths between 2009 and 2015,” Mbaya warns.

She urged world leaders not to cut back on aid to Africa during the crisis.

“The cost of saving millions of lives is small in comparison to over $1 trillion already spent on bail out packages to banks by the same countries that have been failing on a promise made in 2005 to increase aid by $25 billion a year to help developing countries achieve the MDGs.

“According to the World Bank foreign aid to sub-Saharan Africa is likely to decrease due to the financial crisis. We simply can’t stand by and let this happen,” she said.

Christians will join together for an ecumenical service at the Methodist Central Hall in Westminster ahead of Saturday’s march.

The service will be joined by the Bishop of London, the Rt Rev Dr Richard Chartres, and head of Micah Challenge International, Joel Edwards.

Micah Challenge is asking Christians to join in praying daily for the G20 summit, and on Sunday especially, as part of its Rise Up campaign.

Andy Clasper, Micah Challenge UK Executive Director said: “Isaiah told God’s people to rise, shine and to bring light to a world in darkness. I think he would say the same today. In the current financial climate we are seeing what happens when narrow self-interest is played out on a global scale.

“In Rise Up we are calling Christians to pray for world leaders and decision makers at this crucial time, that there is a change of values and that fairness and justice for the poor would be put at the heart of our global economic systems.”


On the web:
www.micahchallenge.org.uk/riseup
www.riseupinprayer.org