Bilawal demands UN food emergency fund

NEW YORK:

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday, recounting various causes behind the growing global food insecurity, called for immediate implementation of an emergency plan of action by the international community. 

In an address to a ministerial meeting on “global food security” at the United Nations Headquarters, the foreign minister stressed maintaining access to food and end supply restrictions, export bans, hoarding, speculation and panic buying of food and fertilisers.
He underlined that supply chains should be kept fully operational, including for processing food and related logistics.

In order to mobilise action to address global food insecurity, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosted the ministerial-level meeting, bringing together a broad, regionally diverse group of 30-35 countries, including those most affected by food insecurity and those in a position to take action to strengthen global food resilience and security. 

The foreign minister, in his speech, also called for creation of a special food emergency fund under the UN auspices.

The United Nations and its relevant agencies WFP, FAO, IFAD, UNDP, he said, should be entrusted with coordinating and executing such an emergency food security plan and fund.

“The countries in a position to do so must ramp up production of wheat and other grains and fertilizer. Support must be provided to enable food producers, especially small holders in developing countries, to contribute to increases in local and national food production through adequate access to seeds, fertilizer and finance,” he suggested. 

About another part of the emergency plan, he said food prices should be moderated, especially for vulnerable developing countries, through appropriate international, national and market mechanisms. 

The emergency grants and concessional financing must be provided to countries experiencing social and financial distress to secure adequate food and related supplies. 

Bilawal said that food insecurity had been growing progressively in the developing countries due to low productivity, water scarcity, land degradation, lack of agriculture infrastructure, inadequate application of new technologies, unfair trade practices and climate change. 

The Covid  pandemic, and the consequent economic crisis, disrupted agricultural and food supply chains, enlarged poverty, escalated commodity prices and eroded the purchasing capacity of the millions of the most vulnerable people in the developing countries, he added. 

Citing another factor, the foreign minister said the on-going war in Ukraine, and the accompanying restrictions on food supply were the crowning blow for the poor, prices of food and the energy had spiraled food and related commodities, including fertilizers were in short supply and unaffordable for the poorest people and the poorest countries – in Africa, Afghanistan and elsewhere. 

“A number of countries face famine. Over 50 countries are in financial and debt distress and may be pushed into financial meltdown if major central banks raise interest rates, as some have signalled,” he cautioned. 

The foreign minister said that it was essential to promote sustainable systems of food consumption and production, stop waste and pollution, conserve water, promote forestation and respect biodiversity and the natural habitats. 

The foreign minister further stressed that beyond the emergency plan of action, they must undertake steps to address the structural problems impeding global food security and the implementation of SDGs 1 and 2. 

These steps should include, he said, rationalising international agricultural trade, particularly elimination of the massive agricultural subsidies provided by certain richer economies which distort global markets and make it impossible for farmers in the developing countries to produce food at competitive prices. 

Bilawal called for significantly expanding investments in sustainable agriculture infrastructure in developing countries to facilitate production, storage, transport and distribution of food products and agricultural inputs. 

He also underscored the efforts for increasing the application of new and breakthrough agricultural technologies and techniques, including digital technologies, in developing countries through access and transfer on concessional and preferential terms. 

“Mobilise adequate concessional finance for developing countries, including through debt relief, enlarged ODA, reallocation of half of the unutilised SDRs, and fulfillment of the promised $100 billion in climate finance,” he added.