The Group of Eight on Sunday gave new impetus to an aid-for-trade programme to help African states boost their export markets, stating that they aimed to provide an additional $4bn in assistance.

However, while the announcement means G8 countries may have to find new cash for this scheme, a communiqué published on Sunday does not set out the timescale in which the $4bn (£2.2bn, €3.2bn) must be obtained. Separately, the group also gave impetus to the need to reform “rules of origin” that govern the import duties western states set on goods imported from Africa.