Tokyo, 20/07/2000 (Agence Europe) - Debt relief was the focus of Thursday's meeting between the representatives of developing countries (G77) and industrialised countries (G7). The G8 was represented by Japanese Prime Minister. The G8 was represented by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, French President Jacques Chirac and several heads of government. Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo spoke on behalf of the Group of 77.
The developing countries called on industrialised countries to keep the commitments made at the Cologne Summit one year ago when the G7 had announced aid of $100 billion for debt relief of the poorest countries. "It is no longer time to ask what we must do - we all know. The question is that of knowing whether the political will is there", said the Nigerian President during a press conference. The EU recalled that it is now the main contributor to the debt relief fund.