HALIFAX, N.S. — Development ministers from some of the world's richest countries agreed Wednesday on a set of principles to reduce maternal and child mortality in poor nations, but offered few details on how they would achieve the ambitious goal or how much it would cost.
International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda wrapped up a two-day G8 gathering in Halifax, claiming the delegates made progress on what will be a Canadian priority at the G8 leaders meeting in Huntsville, Ont., in June.
Oda said it was critical that the plan be flexible enough to allow each member state to determine how they would contribute to the goal of improving the health of women and children under the age of five.
"We have agreed on a set of principles that will guide our work and a scope of actions that leave our ability, and the needed flexibility, for each country so that they can advise their leaders on how to build their basket of initiatives to support Canada's focus on mothers and children," she told a news conference.
The need for flexibility might be a key element of the plan as Canada takes a different stand from many of its G8 partners on family planning in poor countries.
Canada has said it will not support funding for abortions in developing nations as part of the G8 family planning initiative that Prime Minister Stephen Harper will champion at the June meeting.
Oda played down any rift with other G8 countries, particularly the United States and Britain, which both believe access to safe abortion should be part of a family planning program.
Rajiv Shah, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, restated the Obama administration's support for a "comprehensive approach to maternal health" that includes abortion.
But he stressed that as donor nations struggle with shrinking aid budgets, any proposals to G8 leaders have to be cost-effective and target the most pressing areas of need.
"This initiative that we will pursue will fundamentally focus on saving the most maternal lives for dollars expended," he said, citing medical training and financing that will sustain local health systems.
"What's most important is ... getting the most bang for buck in terms of saving lives."
The representatives from Italy, Russia, Japan, the European Commission, Germany, France and the United Kingdom, also said they would improve accountability in reporting donor funding and develop ways to measure the success of aid programs.
Oda said the ministers focused on the need to improve nutrition, prevent disease and the range of care that should be offered to young children and pregnant women before, during and after delivery.
It's estimated that there are 500,000 pregnancy-related deaths every year - due largely to bleeding - which could be stemmed by training skilled birthing attendants. And aid groups say there are simple ways to reduce the millions of child deaths linked to malaria, pneumonia and diarrhea.
But while most groups praised the move to make maternal and child health a priority, some wanted more details on funding since Ottawa has said it will freeze development foreign-aid spending.
The last federal budget boosted the International Assistance Envelope by eight per cent, or $364 million, to $5 billion or double the 2001 level.
But no new funds have been promised beyond that and no additional money was earmarked for high-profile international commitments, such as the maternal and child health initiative.
"Promises on maternal and child health, fighting hunger and climate adaptation must be fulfilled with new funds," said Mark Fried of Oxfam.
"Unless aid is increased, the world's poorest women and men will pay the price for the rich world's financial folly. Canada should reverse the plan to freeze aid."
Oda said it will be up to G8 leaders to review the initiative and decide on their financial commitments.
It was feared the heated debate over Canada's stand on abortion would thwart any progress at the meeting, but one observer said the issue had little resonance outside the country.
"I don't think it will have any impact on the G8 going forward," said Meg French, director of international programs with UNICEF Canada.
"That's the Canadian government's decision, but there's room within the larger G8 initiative for countries to do what they feel is best."
She said Canada's position would only apply to a small group of developing countries where abortions are legal.
As a result, it was unfortunate that the discussion within Canada focused on abortion when there were more important issues to talk about, she said.
"The statement that the government made at the beginning (of the meeting) was directed at the Canadian population and I don't think it was meant to be prescriptive to the G8," she said.
Andrew Cooper, associate director of the Centre for International Governance Innovation, said it appears the Canadian government has made a deliberate decision to set a clear agenda by using its leverage as host of the upcoming G8 meeting.
"Canada is sticking to its guns on the (abortion) issue despite criticism," Cooper said from his office Waterloo, Ont. "They definitely seem to have a game plan."