TOYAKO, Japan, Jul 8 (IPS) - Three key documents – on African development, food security, and corruption -- emerging Tuesday from the summit of major industrial nations' leaders seem to have taken non-governmental organisations (NGOs) by surprise in delivering more than expected, even if they did not please all. In a document titled 'Development and Africa' the G8 countries (Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Japan, Canada and the United States) 'firmly committed (themselves) to working to fulfil their pledges on official development assistance (ODA) made at Gleneagles (three years ago), and reaffirmed at Heiligendamm, including increasing, compared to 2004, with other donors, ODA to Africa by 25 billion dollars a year by 2010.'

And they went a step further: 'We acknowledge that ODA from G8 and other donors to Africa should be reassessed and may need to be increased for the period after 2010, beyond our current commitments.' Several NGOs had expressed the fear that the Jul. 7-9 G8 in Toyako on the northern Japanese island Hokkaido would backtrack on earlier commitments, leaving Africa in stark need of funds.

The document made commitments in other areas. 'We reiterate our commitment to continue efforts to work towards the goals of providing at least a projected 60 billion dollars over five years to fight infectious diseases and strengthen health. Some countries will provide additional resources for health systems including water.' This drew criticism from a coalition of HIV/AIDS and health organisations. 'An existing commitment from the 2007 G8 summit to spend 60 billion dollars 'over the coming years' on AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and health systems has been weakened by the G8 meeting into a broad health spending pledge over five years, that is completely inadequate when compared to developing countries' needs,' said Asia Russell of Health GAP, a U.S. NGO campaigning for global AIDS treatment.