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Fight poverty to prevent hunger says MEP on World Food Day
Added: (Tue Oct 16 2001)
web link Plaid Cymru MEPs www.plaidcymrumeps.com
NO EMBARGO - For immediate release
Fight poverty to prevent hunger says MEP on World Food Day
Plaid Cymru the Party of Wales Euro MP Eurig Wyn has marked World Food Day
by calling on the UN to widen its agenda of fighting poverty and hunger to
include conflict prevention and the sustainable management of natural
resources.
Speaking before attending a World Food Day panel discussion on "Strategies
and recommendations to fight hunger and poverty" co-organised by the UN Food
and Agriculture Organisation and the European Parliament's Committee on
Agriculture and Rural Development, Eurig Wyn MEP said:
"I am a strong supporter of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation's
initiative in calling for a World Food Summit five years ahead of schedule.
With countries not complying with previous agreements to address hunger and
poverty, a special summit to ensure that countries support their words with
action and money is desperately needed.
"Whilst it now looks likely that the special World Food Summit will be
postponed I urge the UN not to give up. It should now increase its efforts
to include conflict prevention, access to natural resources and their
sustainable management into the world food agenda of fighting poverty and
hunger. It must also discuss the control monopolies in the food trade.
The Green/EFA Group has called on Europe to take the lead on a new approach
for world trade negotiations, based on the concept of "negotiation of market
access". This would involve non-trade concerns, such as social and
environmental criteria, which are currently marginalised within the WTO
agenda. It would involve "rewarding compliance" under existing legally
binding UN conventions and other criteria for sustainable use of water,
land, and natural resources.
Mr Wyn added:
"This promises to be a timely and much needed debate on the constant need to
fight global hunger and poverty. We must be clear in our message to combat
third world poverty but equally must not turn a blind eye to problems on our
own doorstep.
"Even in the UK more than half the population can expect to be touched by
poverty at any one time. What makes these poverty figures most striking is
that they were calculated during a period when the UK enjoyed economic
stability; an economic reversal would produce a social catastrophe of
unprecedented proportions."
End
16 October 2001