During the First Minister's statement on Africa today (Wednesday), SNP Holyrood Leader, Nicola Sturgeon MSP called on the UK to bring forward its target date for meeting the UN aid target of 0.7% of national income to before the end of the current decade.

She said:

"The initiatives announced today by the First Minister are welcome. But fundraising is no longer an acceptable substitute for significant increases in aid.

"Even if the UK government is successful in securing a G8 agreement to double international aid, it will still be at least another 8 -10 years before some of the richest EU countries meet the UN target. As things stand, the UK government won't meet the target until 2013. That is unacceptable for a target that was first set 35 years ago.

"We should be following the example of countries like Norway and Sweden, nations that not only meet the target already, but are planning to donate 1% of their national income to fighting global poverty by next year.

"The Make Poverty History campaign estimates that if the UK was to meet the UN target by 2008, an additional 1.5 million people could be lifted out of poverty in that year alone.

"The First Minister should use every ounce of influence he has to persuade the Prime Minister and the Chancellor to set that example."