If you have something to say...
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If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
The Blog
Argentina's continued position around the G20 table is bringing the whole institution into disrepute.
Away from the established centres of power, the world is changing fast. The first meeting of the G20 Foreign Ministers taking place today demonstrate again the need for Britain to continue to build new alliances. For the first time ever the G20 will be chaired by, and held in, Mexico: an indicative sign of the shift which enhances the status of fast-rising economies.
The world has a new global steering committee, the G20 group of developed and 'emerging' economies, which has committed itself publicly to supporting economic growth that reaches the poorest people, and doesn't destroy the environment in the process. At least, that's the talk, but according to a new survey by Oxfam, the walk isn't happening. That matters because the G20 countries are home to half the world's poor people, and account for a much greater chunk of its ecological footprint. Climate change is just the best-known consequence of such failings. Rising inequality also undermines political stability - ask the Occupy movement.
Busan should not just be another photo opportunity where leaders substitute rhetoric for action. This is an opportunity for the British government to really show the leadership they should on international development.
The recent G20 in Cannes did take one big decision which has not received a lot of airtime in the midst of the Eurozone morass - the final ditching of any attempt to make the Doha trade round work.
Both Obama and Cameron will also be concerned about Christine Lagarde's appearance alongside "Merkozy" in Cannes. Who told the IMF chief she could join the Frankfurt Group ? The emerging economies who are biting at Lagarde's heels for greater influence certainly didn't tell her.
Dear Sarko and Barack, I know you're both having a bad day, what with people talking about how you badmouthed a fellow world leader when you thought your microphones were off and all, but I wanted to tell you that last week, on a train, I spoke to my boyfriend about someone I know. And I wasn't very nice.
The fireworks started early this week, with shocks in store for nearly everyone, not least the Eurozone's leaders, who went into November probably feeling, if not smug, then at least satisfied they had a plan for Greece's debt crisis. George Papandreou clearly had other ideas. Having announced plans for a referendum on the proffered financial bail-out, the Greek prime minister managed to dominate the news agenda throughout the week, throwing the G20 summit into turmoil, sending stock markets falling, narrowly survive a vote of no confidence and starting to plan a new coalition government all in the space of five days.
Some of us look upon the panic in the EU and the US with wry amusement. Some of us are taking part in the downfall of the industrial-military-political complex of greed by getting out there and Occupying. Others are wringing their hands because life as we know it is ending.
So now Papandreou is stuck between accepting the crippling demands of the EU and IMF in order to guarantee the bailout - losing his political career in the process; or refuse the demands and risk economic pressure that would force Greece to utilise Article 50.
There is a slim chance that this Cannes summit also could be brought back on track. The report presented to the G20 this afternoon by Bill Gates puts Africa centre stage. Gates recognises that Africa can be part of the solution to the global economic crisis.
Today, Bill Gates will present a report commissioned by President Sarkozy that will recommend G20 leaders adopt Robin Hood taxes as a way of fighting poverty and climate change. It is a real opportunity and one the G20 needs to grasp.My hope is that a group of willing leaders will use Cannes as an opportunity to press ahead with Robin Hood taxes to fight poverty in their own countries and overseas. It would be great if David Cameron joined them. For one thing it would make me and possibly the St Paul's protesters a little less angry.
The meeting in Cannes must send a message to the world that politicians have heard the concerns of their citizens and they understand the scale of the crisis. Living standards are being squeezed, unearned rewards at the top too often create greater inequality, and retrenchment of valued education spending risks undermining the knowledge economies we need for the future. People across the world understand it was flaws in free-market capitalism that caused this crisis. They need to hear the positive case for responsible capitalism which will get us out of it. The role of political leaders is not to protest, it is to set out a different course for the future. Only by doing that will we begin to restore the confidence, the lack of which is holding back the recovery.
So a deal has been done. The Euro has been 'saved' according to the French finance minister.
I'm sitting in Brussels today for the EU Summit and it feels like the eyes of the world are on this city... and they are.
While Bono and Bob Geldof have long been banging away, pressing world leaders for progress to help the poorest with debt cancellation, more money and better policies to fight hunger and disease, there is a tough new activist in town: Seattle's finest, Bill Gates Jnr.
