Press releases

Max Lawson, Head of Inequality Policy at Oxfam, said: "This G7 summit will live on in infamy. Faced with the biggest health emergency in a century and a climate catastrophe that is destroying our planet, they have completely failed to meet the challenges of our times. Never in the history of the G7 has there been a bigger gap between their actions and the needs of the world."

Responding to the UK Government’s announcement that G7 leaders will agree to new financing for infrastructure projects in developing countries and an increase international climate finance, Oxfam's climate change lead Nafkote Dabi said: "This plan could support green development in poorer countries, but it is lacking in detail including on who will foot the bill."

Responding to news that G7 leaders are collectively planning to pledge at least 1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to poorer countries, Oxfam's Health Policy Manager Anna Marriott said: "If the best G7 leaders can manage is to donate 1 billion vaccine doses then this summit will have been a failure. It is estimated that the world will need 11 billion doses to end the pandemic."

Responding to early reports of G7 leaders agreeing a 'Carbis Bay Declaration' to end future pandemics faster, Oxfam's Health Policy Manager Anna Marriott said: "It's welcome that G7 leaders are planning measures to end future pandemics faster, but the lack of urgent action to end the current crisis is unforgiveable."

New research sounds the alarm on the risks facing young refugees in Europe on their eighteenth birthday. The report looks at how young refugees across Europe are falling through the gaps and into homelessness, exploitation and danger. Looking at the practices of five European countries, it finds that all of them have failed to protect and support this age group. As a result, they struggle to integrate into their new societies.

In response to the announcement today from French President, Emmanuel Macron, that France will support a temporary waiver on intellectual property for COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments, Oxfam’s Health Policy Manager, Anna Marriott, said: “It is fantastic news that President Macron has joined US President Biden on the right side of history by supporting the calls from India and South Africa, as well as millions of people around the world."

In reaction to Ethiopia’s latest food insecurity figures released today, Oxfam’s global Emergency Food Security Advisor, Emily Farr, said: “The new figures released today from the IPC showing new and dangerous levels of hunger in Ethiopia are extremely worrying. According to the latest IPC findings, there are right now over 350,000 people in a hunger catastrophe - the largest number of people to reach that classification since Somalia in 2011. This number is expected to climb to 401,000 in July."

The European Parliament has supported an amendment calling for Europe to support the temporary suspension of intellectual property rules for Covid-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments. In reaction to this vote, Evelien van Roemburg, head of Oxfam EU office, said: "This vote sends a strong signal that Europeans stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of the world in the fight against the pandemic."

The European Parliament voted on its EU budget for aid and foreign policy (NDICI). In response to the vote, Evelien van Roemburg, Oxfam EU Head of Office said: "This new financial instrument stands a real chance at combatting poverty and inequality which has leapt during the pandemic."

The economies of the G7 nations could see an average loss of 8.5 percent annually by 2050 ―equivalent to $4.8 trillion― if leaders do not take more ambitious action to tackle climate change, according to Oxfam’s analysis of research by the Swiss Re Institute. Oxfam is calling on G7 leaders, who are meeting in the UK later this week, to cut carbon emissions more quickly and steeply.