The Africa Progress Panel, a panel of world leaders, demanded on Monday international action to deal with the urgent threat of soaring world food prices.
The panel in its first report launched here Monday by its chairman Kofi Annan states that the world food crisis "threatens to destroy years, if not decades, of economic progress" as "100 million people are being pushed back into absolute poverty".
"A significant proportion of this group is in Africa, in countries which were already struggling to address problems of chronic malnutrition, hunger and infant mortality," it said.
"Africa is facing the worst consequences of the food crisis. The Food and Agricultural Organization notes that of the 37 countries hardest hit , 21 are in Africa. Four of these countries are classified as having 'exceptional shortfalls' in food, four more have 'widespread lack of access' and another 13 countries are classified as countries with 'severe localized food insecurity'," the panel said.
"Unless some way can be found to halt and reverse the current trend in food prices there will be a significant increase in hunger, malnutrition, and in infant and child mortality," it warns.
In the report, which assesses the state of the continent in 2008, the 11-member Panel called for a range of measures to be undertaken to increase the quantity of food on international markets and to provide greater financial assistance to international agencies such as the World Food Programme and to the governments of affected countries.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article