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16:37, October 22, 2008 |
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The UN World Food Program regards its operation in China as one of the best of WFP programs anywhere in the world and looks forward to expanding the partnership between the largest international humanitarian organization operating in 80 countries around the world and the largest developing country which has become a donor rather than an aid recipient of WFP.
Ms. Anthea Webb, Director of WFP China, gave those comments in an exclusive interview with People's Daily Online on Oct. 15, one day before the World Food Day.
The success of WFP's aid programs in China from 1979 to 2005, according to Ms.Webb, was due to the deep engagement of the government in the "true partnership" between WFP and China. WFP offered 1 billion USD and the Chinese government spent 1.2 billion USD to help some 30 million rural population by buying nearly 4 million metric tons of food and improving grain growing during that period.
WFP stopped bringing food to China at the end of 2005 as the country can rely on itself to feed its 1.3 billion people, the largest population in the world. But the partnership continues. One of Ms. Webb's important responsibilities here is to make a research on how China can be an "example" for other developing countries which are seeking the way to develop their agriculture and social sector to improve their people's life as China has done.
By doing that research, Ms. Webb is considering what kind of China experience in policy making on supporting farmers and rural development by investing in infrastructure, technologies, education, health and social security can be exported to other countries in Africa, Asia and Latin American.
In fact, China began to donate to WFP for many years before 2005. The first major donation was for the Tsunami in southeast Asia. Since then China became an "important donator" to WFP, according Ms. Webb. She recalled the cooperative operation in Laos as a "very interesting and successful" experience involving using China's donation to buy more than 600 metric tons of rice to poor villages there. WFP and Chinese officials visited those villages to follow the progress and result of the program.
It is a process of learning from each other. Ms. Webb said WFP's strength was its clear understanding about why people in a particular area are hungry so effective aid can be arranged and its ability to track donations from the moment of promise to the final implementation and tracking. That ensures transparency and reliability.
WFP hopes to have more China contribution not only on fund raising, but also on personnel and food supply. Ms. Webb said they would like to have Chinese experts in WFP programs. Besides, WFP is seeking to make procurement in China. Ms. Webb mentioned Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's commitments at the UN session at the end of September that China would increase its food aid and food export to the countries facing food shortage. He also urged all donators around the world to double aid to WFP.
Next year marks the 30th anniversary of WFP's presence in China. Ms. Webb is very confident about stronger partnership and the difference that can be made by such a partnership between the largest developing county and the largest international humanitarian organization.
"China knows how to eradicate poverty and hunger while WFP is doing its best in other countries, together we can make massive difference", she concluded.
By People's Daily Online
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