VATICAN - Pope Benedict XVI appeals to world leaders at G8 Summit “not to retreat from their promises to make a substantial increase in development aid in favour of the most needy populations, especially those of the African Continent.”

Vatican City (Fides Service) - At the end of the general audience on Wednesday June 6, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI made the following appeal to the participants at the G8 summit in Germany: “ Today in Heiligendamm, Germany, under the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Annual Summit of Heads of State and Heads of Government of the G8 - that is, the seven most industrialised countries of the world plus the Russian Federation - has begun. On 16 December last I had occasion to write to Chancellor Angela Merkel, thanking her, in the name of the Catholic Church, for the decision to keep the theme of world poverty on the agenda of the G8, with specific reference to Africa. Doctor Merkel kindly replied to me on 2 February last, assuring me of the G8’s commitment to attaining the Millennium Development Goals. Now, I should like to make a further appeal to the leaders meeting at Heiligendamm, not to retreat from their promises to make a substantial increase in development aid in favour of the most needy populations, especially those of the African Continent.
In this regard, the second Millennium goal merits special attention: "to achieve universal primary education - to ensure that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling by 2015". This is an integral part of the attainment of all the other Millennium Goals: it is a guarantee of the consolidation of goals already reached; it is the starting-point for autonomous and sustainable processes of development.
It must not be forgotten that the Catholic Church has always been at the forefront in the field of education, reaching places, particularly in the poorest countries, that State structures often fail to reach. Other Christian Churches, religious groups and organisations of civil society share this educational commitment. According to the principle of subsidiarity, this reality should be recognised, valued and supported by Governments and International Organisations, among other things by the allocation of sufficient funding, so that greater efficacy may be guaranteed in the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals. Let us hope that serious efforts be made to reach these objectives..” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 8/6/2007 - righe 23, parole 326)