2006 Russia Presidency

29 February 2008

What was achieved during the Russian Presidency of the G8 in 2006?

The 2006 G8 summit took place in St Petersburg from 15-17 July. The main themes were global energy security, infectious diseases and education. At the UK’s request, the St Petersburg summit specifically discussed Africa and progress made during the year since Gleneagles. The full agenda can be found on the 2006 Russian G8 website.

As well as agreeing to a further progress review on Africa at the 2007 German G8 summit, G8 partner countries committed to a wide range of further actions at St Petersburg. Full details are contained in the St Petersburg Update Statement on Africa.

For its part, the UK committed at St Petersburg to a number of specific objectives over the following year on Africa:

• Achieving the objectives set at Gleneagles, including universal access to comprehensive HIV prevention programmes, treatment care and support by 2010
• Spending ₤1.5 billion on HIV and AIDS from 2005/06 to 2007/08 and contributing ₤360 million to the Global Fund between 2002 and 2008
• Providing ₤1.4 billion over 20 years to the International Finance Facility for Immunisation to tackle preventable diseases
• Making a long-term financial contribution to UNITAID
• Making a long-term financial contribution to pilot the Advance Market Commitment (AMC), including supporting the launch of a Pneumococcus AMC by the end of 2006 and exploring a Malaria AMC
• Funding seven product development public private partnerships to carry out research into new drugs, vaccines and microbicides for tackling communicable diseases
• Providing ₤60 million between 2006 and 2008 towards the cost of eradicating polio.