(June 14, 2004) The leading industrial powers plan to help Africa by developing an anti-Aids vaccine and training thousands of new peace-keepers, but did not come up with the hoped for breakthrough on forgiving debt for the world’s poorest countries, almost all of them African. The announcements came as part of an "Africa Outreach" at the final session of the G8 summit that was attended by six African heads of government. Debt of the 42 poorest and most indebted countries totalled $35 billion, Irungu Houghton, an Oxfam spokesman said. "If G8 leaders are willing to write off $90 billion for Iraq, why not a third of that for Africa?

(June 11, 2004) Religious leaders called on the Group of Eight industrial nations to cancel all multilateral debts owed by heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC), fueling speculation that G8 leaders might forgive a majority of Iraq’s $120 billion debt.

(June 10, 2004) Group of Eight (G8) leaders on Thursday issued a day pass for their rich nations club to counterparts from Africa, on the last day of an annual summit clouded by new transatlantic squabbles.