Copyright 2004 The Financial Times Limited
Financial Times (London, England)

July 5, 2004 Monday
London Edition 2

Brown seeks G7 support to write off third world debt DEVELOPMENT AID:

By CHRISTOPHER ADAMS

Gordon Brown will use a trip to the Vatican this week to try to win broader support among thebiggest industrialised nations for his plans to write off third world debt and double development aid.

By joining forces with the Catholic church, the chancellor hopes to exert influence on Italy's centre-right government, whose support could influence other members of the Group of Seven nations to back his proposal for an international finance facility. The visit, intended to stress the UK's commitment to development aid when it takes over the G7 presidency in the second half of next year, follows papal endorsement for the financing scheme, under which aid would rise from Dollars 50bn (Pounds 27.3bn) to Dollars 100bn a year. More than 100 church leaders will attend a seminar with G7 ministers.

"We are urging all governments to look seriously at our proposal for the international finance facility, and to move further and faster on debt relief," said a Treasury official. The presence of church leaders could increase pressure on the US, Germany, Italy and Canada to swing behind the plans.