At their recent Summit in Canada, leaders of the Group of 8 countries -- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, and United States -- agreed on a range of measures to combat nuclear and radiological terrorism, in line with the IAEA's work in these areas. In launching a Global Partnership against the spread of weapons and materials of mass destruction, the G8 leaders urged all countries to join them in commitment to six principles to prevent terrorists or those that harbour them from acquiring or developing nuclear, chemical, radiological and biological weapons; missiles; and related materials, equipment and technology. They committed to raising up to $20 billion for cooperative projects over the next decade, and agreed on guidelines for negotiating specific arrangements for the projects.
The action follows the issuance of G8 recommendations to counter terrorism. The recommendations include G8 support for the "enhanced counterterrorist responsibility of the International Atomic Energy Agency... promoting wider adherence to safeguards, and fostering international non-proliferation efforts, including an initiative to dispose of plutonium no longer required for defence purposes."The recommendations were issued earlier last month, on 12-13 June, at the Summit of G8 Foreign Ministers.
In addition to counter-terrorism measures, the G8 Summit agreed on an Action Plan for African Development supporting the goals of poverty reduction and sustainable development. The plan addresses economic, health, food, and water issues, among others, and builds upong the initiative taken by African States in adopting the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). It includes a comprehensive review of Africa's current situation and a detailed plan to meet the social, political and economic challenges faced by Africa's peoples.