While an estimated 2bn people saw the Live8 concert on Saturday only a fraction of that figure came from the continent that will be the focus of discussions at this week’s G8 summit.

African coverage and reaction in the lead-up to the global concerts aimed at raising awareness of poverty was muted, while the Live8 event in Johannesburg was badly advertised. It attracted only a few thousand people, despite the attendance of Nelson Mandela, who urged politicians not to make hollow promises on poverty.