L'AQUILA, July 10 (RIA Novosti) - The Group of Eight leaders pledged to work closer with African nations to ensure access to water supplies and sanitation in a joint declaration adopted on the final day of the rich countries' summit in Italy on Friday.
The G8 leaders discussed Africa and the impact of the global recession on the continent at a working breakfast.
The declaration said water and sanitation problems were "major impediments to sustainable development, wealth creation and the eradication of poverty" in Africa.
"We are determined to build a stronger partnership between African and G8 countries to increase access to water and sanitation, based on the principles of shared responsibility and mutual accountability."
The heads of the eight countries - the United States, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and Britain - were joined by several African leaders, as well as World Bank, IMF, WTO and UN representatives at the talks.
Among the measures announced in the declaration, the G8 leaders pledged "to assist the building of capacity in African countries to develop and implement national water and sanitation plans; improve coordination within multi-donor platforms to promote aid effectiveness; align assistance to better reflect national priorities; improve bilateral and multilateral contributions to financial mechanisms aimed at mobilizing investment."
The G8 also promised to fulfill their earlier aid commitments, and pledged to boost aid by $25 billion a year by 2010 together with other donors.
They also approved a $15 billion farming program aimed at helping poor nations develop domestic agriculture.
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