As Zimbabweans continue to suffer from severe food shortages and an inflation rate of over 7,500%, one man has openly denounced the government for inflicting such a crisis upon its civilians. Archbishop Pius Ncube is one of very few who have taken a stand against President Robert Mugabe, calling for street protests and political intervention to force him from power. As a result, Mugabe has charged Ncube with having an affair with a married woman in his parish, hoping to tarnish the Archbishop’s name as a critic of the Zimbabwean government. Now, Ncube has the strength of nine Zimbabwean Catholic Bishops behind him.

The G8 summit is one of the only global summits in which leaders of the nations debate freely amongst themselves. With much less administrative structure surrounding the G8 than other multi-lateral organizations or frameworks, it theoretically allows for freer dialogue and a more direct follow-up on the decisions made regarding key international issues.

Thus, the G8 summit has particular importance in setting the tone for the way in which the leaders of some of the world’s most powerful nations regard and address today’s global challenges. This year, governments, religious leaders, and civil societies around the world are looking to the leaders to take strong action on the global environment and climate change, on fulfilling commitments to aid and support in the pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), on anti-proliferation and peace building, and global economic issues.  Africa has been in the spotlight in particular, after having borne the brunt of this spring’s spike in global food prices while seeing very little of the development assistance and debt relief promised at the 2005 G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland.