G8 and G20 must be 'more than talking shops' - PM
G8 leaders have stated their commitment to working together on issues such as the economy, development, environmental sustainability and international peace and security as the summit concluded on Saturday afternoon.
In a communique released at the end of the discussions in Muskoka, Canada, leaders said their countries were at an “important crossroads” and energy must be channeled into building better societies and improving people’s well being.
- Read the G8 Summit Declaration on the G8 website
Prior to the summit, Prime Minister David Cameron - who was attending his first international summit since becoming PM - had called on fellow world leaders to ensure that the G8 and G20 were “more than just grand talking shops”.
Mr Cameron had urged his counterparts to make good on their promise to fix the global economy and to push for trade, which he described as “the real stimulus” that economies need.
In an article in Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail, Mr Cameron said:
I come to the G8 and G20 in Muskoka and Toronto with a clear commitment to make sure these summits deliver for people. Too often, these international meetings fail to live up to the hype and the promises made. I’m sure other leaders would admit that…
I believe that if we want to make a difference, we need a tight focus on what we actually want to achieve, with leaders - including me - being willing to be held to account and made to live up to our promises. We need to show people that we can get real results by concentrating on key priorities and then driving them through relentlessly, year after year.
Mr Cameron held bilateral meetings with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Canadian PM Stephen Harper and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday.
Following the G8, the leaders moved on to Toronto for discussions on the world economy with the wider G20 group, which includes major economies like China, India and South Africa.
On his arrival in Canada on Thursday, the PM visited HMS Ark Royal which is taking part in an international fleet review later this month to mark the Canadian Navy’s centennial year.
Read more: PM and President Medvedev hold talks at G8
Read the PM’s article for The Globe and Mail
Speeches and transcripts: PM’s interview with BBC News
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