Italy, which took over the Presidency of the G8 on 1 January 2009, is responsible for hosting and organizing not only the annual Summit but also the preparatory meetings ahead of the three-day summit, to be held on July 8-10, 2009. Fostering sustainable development and fighting poverty in the less advanced countries is a central priority on the G8 Heads of State and Government's agenda. Numerous development initiatives have been launched and supported by the G8, first and foremost in favor of Africa.

The African Development Bank has played a leading role in the context of the G8. Upon request of the Italian authorities, the Bank has been recognized as a partner of choice and provided input on governance, and has been invited to the Rome meeting of G8 Development Ministers to present its view on governance in Africa. Such views have been formalized in a paper which has become an official document of the G8 process.

G8 Development Ministers' Meeting, Rome, 11-12 June, 2009

Africa will be playing a leading role during this meeting, and will be able to have its say, both in Rome and at the G8 summit in L'Aquila. Italy has decided to expand the traditional Heiligendamm format (the five emerging economies, namely Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa) to include Egypt, and also to invite both the African Union (Libya, which holds the duty presidency, and the Commission) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development - NEPAD (represented by Ethiopia, its duty president, and by the five members of the steering committee: in addition to South Africa and Egypt, also Senegal, Nigeria and Algeria) to the G8 Development Ministers' Meeting.