Leaders of African countries and international organizations Thursday reaffirmed their commitment to coping with the impacts of global high food prices.
In a meeting chaired by African Union chief Jakaya Kikwete on the sideline of the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV), the leaders called on international donor community and their partners to remain engaged in supporting governments and regional institutions to address the new challenge in the short-, medium- and long-term.
Global food prices are expected to remain volatile but most institutions forecast a peak in 2008 or 2009, and then gradually a decline to levels that remain higher than the late 1990s, said a joint statement released after the meeting by its co-organizers of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), World Food Program (WFP) and the World Bank.
Attributing the price hike to such transitory factors as weather conditions in some countries, the leaders pointed out that structural factors, which affect both demand and supply, have played an important role.
"High energy prices, and the demand for bio-fuels, have created a structural link between food and energy markets," said the statement, adding that export restrictions of food have also contributed to the jump in food prices.
Despite various international initiatives and concrete actions being taken, more needs to be done, said the document.
Organizers of the session appealed to developed countries and international financial institutions to assist countries most affected in a continued effort to "strengthen productive and social safety nets, invest in agriculture, research and technology, support improved access to seeds, fertilizer and credit to small farmers and ensure medium- and long-term investment in a sustainable climate-proof agriculture."
Noting the current crisis caused by high food process presented both a challenge and an opportunity to Africa, the leaders stressed the need to size the opportunity as well as to meet the challenge, urging various national governments and international community to support farmers' efforts to take advantage of high food prices.
They said that efforts could bear fruits "if we seize the opportunity of high food prices in a continent with vast untapped agricultural potential."
TICAD IV opened Wednesday in Japan's southeastern port city of Yokohama.
Representatives from 52 African countries, 71 international and regional organizations are present at the three-day quinquennial event, under the theme "Toward a Vibrant Africa: A continent of Hope and Opportunity."
TICAD is a policy forum for African Development which Japan initiated in 1993 and has led with other co-organizers which consist of the United Nations Office of the Special Advisor on African, the United Nations Development Program and the World Bank.
A central feature of TICAD is the cooperation between Asia and Africa.
Source:Xinhua
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