Pope urges more development aid

Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday called on the Group of Eight industrialised nations to "upgrade" their development aid to Africa and the world's poorest countries in spite of the financial crisis.

In a letter to G8 host Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister, the pope said decisions made during next week's G8 summit could only be efficient if they were "ethical''.

"I would like to appeal to G8 members and other countries represented (at the summit) as well as governments worldwide to maintain and upgrade their development aid", he said.

This would be a way out of the crisis, he added.

The pope warned that the financial crisis also threatened international aid projects for Africa and other less developed regions.

The two-day summit of the world's leading industrial countries in central Italy's quake-stricken town of L'Aquila is to take place from Wednesday and will be attended by nearly 40 heads of state and government.