FT.com / Comment & analysis - Observer: From all sides
Observer: From all sides
Published: April 24 2007 03:00 | Last updated: April 24 2007 03:00
The German chancellor Angela Merkel is a great multi-tasker, but her preparations for the G8 summit of industrial nations in June are taking on extreme proportions.
This week top business associations from the G8 countries are in town to lobby her to promote globalisation, while in early May the rich world's trade union leaders are coming to lobby in the opposite direction.
Helping Africa is another area where she is being bombarded. Last week the rock star/activist Bono was in Berlin shmoozing for more aid.
Bono is the secular pope of Africa's development, and now it turns out the real Pope has been getting in on the lobby-Merkel act. Pope Benedict XVI and Merkel have been exchanging letters (in German, Observer presumes), it emerged yesterday.
The Pope is pushing for greater trade opportunities for poor countries; Merkel replied that she'd do her best to oblige.
Now let's wait to see if the Pope pops up in the final communiqué at the June summit.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
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