UN expresses concern over rising global food prices
Tuesday, 08 Apr 2008 12:31
Ban Ki-moon has been watching the soaring food prices with "deep concern"
Top United Nations (UN) officials have expressed concern over soaring global food prices and have called for steps to avoid possible tensions arising from shortages.
The head of the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) called on international donors to respond to appeals for additional funds to deliver assistance and warned that scenes such as those seen recently in Haiti could be repeated worldwide.
"What we see in Haiti is what we're seeing in many of our operations around the world - rising prices that mean less food for the hungry. A new face of hunger is emerging: even where food is available on the shelves, there are now more and more people who simply cannot afford it," said WFP executive director Josette Sheeran.
Last week four people died in two days of rioting in the Caribbean island of Haiti over rising food prices.
The WFP has claimed that it has only received 13 per cent of the $96 million (£48.7 million) required to assist the 1.7 million people in Haiti, the poorest country in the
Americas.
"Riots in Haiti underline the additional need for lifesaving food assistance. At this critical time, we need to stand with the people of Haiti and other countries hardest hit by rising food prices," Ms Sheeran said.
Other nations including, Egypt, Indonesia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Mozambique and Senegal have experienced unrest in recent weeks related to soaring food and fuel prices.
UN general-secretary Ban Ki-moon has been watching the soaring food prices with "deep concern", according to his spokesman.
"We must take steps, beginning now, to assure the world’s food security," Michele Montas told reporters in New York.