G8 policies should undergo "development audits" to examine their impact on Africa, according to a report from the Institute for Public Policy Research.

The IPPR report says G8 countries should be more accountable for aspects of their policies that damage Africa, particularly issues such as aid, trade, arms exports, investment and climate change.

And the research suggests the G8 should establish a G8/Africa forum at their annual summit, to ensure a structured dialogue.

An audit would examine existing G8 policies towards Africa and be presented to the forum by the UN secretary general.

David Mepham, IPPR associate director, said: "The real obstacles to better policy towards Africa are not technical but political.

"The best thing that G8 countries can do for Africa is to end those existing policies that damage and disadvantage the continent.

"Inadequate aid with inappropriate conditions, unfair trade rules, weak controls over arms exports, poor regulation of G8 companies and high greenhouse gas emissions, in all these ways, G8 countries are hindering rather than helping Africa."

Other recommendations in the report include establishing an international arms trade treaty and clamping down on bribery and corruption among foreign public officials.

Ending agricultural export subsidies and tariff escalation, improved access for Africa to drugs to treat HIV/AIDS and other diseases and the writing off of debt for low-income African countries are also urged.