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 As European and US leaders negotiate multi-billion rescue packages to help resolve the financial crisis, the global food crisis has been pushed from the agenda at a crucial time. Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan spoke out against this neglect on Thursday 16 October at an international conference in Dublin.
"The financial crisis cannot be an excuse for inaction." he said. "We must maintain our resolve. We can end hunger and poverty. Doing so is critical to Africa and to a healthy and resilient global food system." "For although the ups and downs of the global economy may be cyclical, there is nothing cyclical about hunger in sub-Saharan Africa. There, the pattern is a steady and appalling rise," Mr Annan added. Speaking at the same event, U.S. economist Jeffrey Sachs criticised the developed countries for not delivering on aid commitments and branded the Rome commitments "nearly a wash-out". "The United States, Japan, Italy, and to a slightly lesser degree France and Germany, are nowhere near where they should be. Virtually all of the world's wealthy countries have made promises that they have yet to deliver. And our international system does not have any enforcement system." CEO of Irish NGO Concern, Eurostep member organisation, Tom Arnold said: "The brutal reality is that, notwithstanding the good analysis and the political commitments made at the UN, G8 and EU level, very few additional resources have been found to translate commitments into actions. In addition, the price of food and commodities has fallen in recent months, possibly inducing a false sense of complacency among political leaders." Sources:
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