G8 talks focus on Africa

G8 leaders gathered in Germany have struck a series of deals on support for Africa.

The final day of the Heiligendamm summit saw an agreement on delivering bn of additional aid over the coming years.

It is expected that the extra cash will be used to meet the commitment made at Gleneagles to provide universal access to anti-retroviral HIV treatments by 2010.

Tony Blair said that "immense progress" had been made on support for Africa.

"The important thing about what we have agreed today is that we have recommitted ourselves to all the commitments we made a couple of years ago at Gleneagles...we have set out how we are going to do them," said the prime minister.

"We have got a long way to go and a lot to do but the truth is there's been immense progress made.

"Africa is going to be right at the centre of the agenda and that's got to be good news."

There was also a pledge to spend an additional 0m this year on supporting education in Africa, with more to follow over the longer term.

A further agreement saw the leaders pledge action on reducing malaria deaths by half with programmes in 30 African countries.

Japan has also said it will also continue to focus on Africa when it takes over the G8 presidency next year.

In a bid to deal with problems such as the crisis in Darfur, there was also agreement in principle to help fund an African Union peacekeeping force.

Shadow international development secretary Andrew Mitchell said it was "very disappointing that the G8 has watered-down its promise of universal Aids prevention and treatment by 2010".

"It is outrageous that the main communique document on Africa makes no reference to the ongoing bloodshed in Darfur, Sudan," he added.