July 01, 2005

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Scan) - Many adults in the United States support a proposal aimed at reducing poverty and disease around the world, according to a poll by Knowledge Networks released by the Program on International Policy Attitudes. 65 per cent of respondents believe their government should commit 0.7 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to promote economic development in poor

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Many adults in the United States support a proposal aimed at reducing poverty and disease around the world, according to a poll by Knowledge Networks released by the Program on International Policy Attitudes. 65 per cent of respondents believe their government should commit 0.7 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to promote economic development in poor countries.

The 0.7 per cent goal was first proposed in 1969 by Canadian prime minister Lester Pearson. Several European nations—including Britain, France, Germany and Italy—have committed to reach the mark. The U.S. currently contributes less than 0.2 per cent of its GDP to humanitarian initiatives.

Yesterday, U.S. president George W. Bush proposed doubling the amount of U.S. aid to Africa—from $4.3 billion U.S. to $8.6 billion U.S.—over the next five years, and introduced a $1.2 billion U.S. program to combat malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.

Executive director of the United Nations (UN) Millennium Project Jeffrey Sachs recently said that "more than 1 million African children, and perhaps as many as 8 million, succumb to malaria each year." Close to 300 million of Africa's inhabitants do not have access to safe drinking water.

British prime minister Tony Blair has declared that global climate change and economic development in Africa will be his two priorities during the G-8 summit, which will take place from Jul. 6 to Jul. 8 in Perthshire, Scotland.

Polling Data

As you may know, at the G-8 summit there will be discussion of the idea of all the wealthy countries committing at least seven tenths of one percent of their gross domestic product to reducing poverty and disease, and promoting economic development in poor countries, especially in Africa. If the other wealthy countries are willing to make this commitment, do you think the U.S. should or should not be willing to make such a commitment?

Should	65%
Should not	29%
No answer	6%

Source: Knowledge Networks / Program on International Policy Attitudes
Methodology: Online interviews to 812 American adults, conducted from Jun. 22 to Jun. 26, 2005. Margin of error is 3.5 per cent.