G8 Fact and Fiction - same facts, same fiction

Leaked documents show that G8 leaders will break their promises to address the water and sanitation crisis.

Credit: WaterAid / Caroline Irby

8 July 2009

Hours before the official communiqué is released at the G8 Summit, WaterAid warns that the G8 stand to fail on their 2008 commitment to tackle a global water and sanitation crisis.

At the 2008 summit, G8 leaders promised this year to launch an 'enhanced implementation plan' to address the global water and sanitation crisis. However, leaked documents tell a different story: showing leaders will break these promises to the billions without drinking water or a toilet.

FACT: Water and sanitation related diarrhoea alone kill 1.4 million children every year and overall a staggering 30% of child mortality is linked to a lack of these services.

FICTION: G8 to deliver the concrete action on water and sanitation promised in 2008.

Oliver Cumming, WaterAid, said:
"The stage was set for action on water and sanitation but the writing's on the wall: more broken promises and another squandered opportunity. Will we have to wait another 12 months and witness another 1.4 million preventable child deaths before we see action from the G8 on this global crisis?"

Khumbuzile Zuma, South African End Water Poverty campaigner said:
"The promise in 2008 that the G8 would finally act to deliver water and sanitation to communities in Africa brought hope for the millions of Africans without these basic services. In reality, we’re likely to get little more than words."

WaterAid also warned that failure to address water and sanitation at this week's summit will have staggering impacts on other critical issues affecting people living in poverty, including health, education, agriculture.

Notes to editors

Oliver Cumming and Khumbuzile Zuma are both at the G8 Summit and available for interview.

Please contact Chloe Irvine for all media requests
+44 75 1494 1577 OR +44 777 1654 544 (based in L’Aquila)