World Bank appeals for 750 USD to alleviates looming Hunger
By Isaac Vuni
May 1, 2008 (JUBA) — The World Bank President, Robert Zoellick has appealed to donors to quickly supporting WFP’s call for750 million dollars to meet emergency needs, otherwies100 million people worldwide may have to be pushed into poverty because of high prices imposed on them over the last two years.
He said the international community needs to commit themselves into working together in order to respond with policy initiatives to ensure that this year’s crisis doesn’t become a generation’s fact of life. Otherwise, over 3.5 million children are already dying yearly due to hunger and malnutrition and another millions death looming especially in sub Sarah Africa.
In a statement issued in Washington today after meeting with United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination in Berne Switzerland, President Zoellick noted that 475 million has been pledged, but pledges won’t feed hungry mouths rather urge potential donors to come forward with cash money in order to alleviate the demanding and looming human atrophies.
So far, over 150 Ministers from world countries, donors, and international agencies have endorsed plans and policies for a New Deal for Global Food Policy but in order to turn their worlds into action, it’s vital for them to work together so that they could have an integrated international response, he emphasized.
They embraced a short, medium and long term response to support for safety nets of school feeding, food for work, and conditional cash transfer programs, increased agricultural production, a better understanding of the impact of biofuels and action on the trade front to reduce distorting subsidies, and trade barriers.
The World Bank President Zoellick, further stated that they are exploring together with United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination members the creation of a rapid financing facility for grant to support fragile, poor countries and to ensure them quicker flexible financing.
To address supply issues; he say, World Bank would double its lending to 800 million dollars for agriculture production in Africa over the next year.
President Zoellick further stated that the conference participants urges world sovereign countries not to imposed export bans because such controls encourage hoarding, drive up prices and hurt the poorest people around the world who are struggling to feed themselves.
The World Bank President call for a coordinate action that should involves all donors, governments, and international agencies including the private sectors and agri-business.
(ST)