Below are summaries of two opinion pieces and an editorial published in anticipation of the G8 summit at Camp David in rural Maryland from May 18-19.

• Carole Presern, Huffington Post Blog: “Last week, Save the Children, in its State of the World’s Mothers 2012 report, pointed out that malnutrition, related to under-nutrition, ‘is an underlying cause of death for 2.6 million children each year, and leaves millions more with lifelong physical and mental impairments,'” Presern, director of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, writes, adding, “This week, G8 leaders gathering in Camp David for their annual summit will have a golden opportunity to rectify that tragedy.” She highlights five nutritional targets set forth (.pdf) by the WHO that she hopes “G8 leaders will commit to” at the summit (5/17).
• Richard Stearns, Huffington Post’s “Religion” blog: “As these global leaders gather at Camp David, it remains to be seen if they will be able to overcome their own challenges and work in partnership with other African governments and the private sector to address the malnutrition and hunger crisis,” Stearns, president of World Vision, writes, adding, “No matter how serious the ongoing threats faced by advanced economies, or how real the pain and suffering caused by unemployment and budget deficits, they pale in comparison to the 15 million people who are threatened by the prospect of famine in West Africa” (5/17).
• Washington Post editorial: “On Friday, in advance of the 2012 Group of Eight summit of industrialized nations at Camp David, President Obama is to announce a joint effort to lift 50 million people in the region out of extreme poverty within 10 years,” the editorial states. It concludes, “If the initiative meets its target, it will ameliorate hunger in 13 percent of the destitute population of sub-Saharan Africa. It is just one step, and it doesn’t lessen the need for development aid. But lifting barriers to farm productivity could end up helping many more than 50 million. It is a vital goal, and this initiative offers a novel and sensible approach” (5/17).