The MakePovertyHistory Campaign has concentrated in 2005 on three aspects of relieving world poverty:

  • Debt cancellation
  • More and better aid
  • Trade Justice

Some progress was made at the G8 Summit in Gleneagles on the first two issues, but very little on trade justice. The Campaign to put pressure on the World Trade Organisation meeting in HongKong in December continues with HM Government being urged to press for the elimination of unfair trade subsidies in the rich West and to allow developing countries to decide on their own economic policies without conditionality.
Meanwhile awareness of the availability of fairly traded goods grows. More and more fairtrade products are stocked by supermarkets and there are increasing numbers of cafes and restaurants serving fairly traded teas and coffees. It is hoped that hotels and bed and breakfasts in Salisbury will be willing to provide in their rooms tea and coffee sachets now available from Traidcraft.