Food Summit Resolution Angers Latin Countries
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ROME — A world summit on hunger veered near collapse late yesterday when Latin American countries objected to a final, watered-down resolution designed to boost agriculture and control soaring food prices.
Ultimately, the declaration was adopted, with about 180 countries pledging to work to eliminate hunger and secure access to food “for all, today and tomorrow” through urgent actions including the easing of trade barriers and the supply of seeds and fertilizer to poor farmers.
No significant agreement was reached on the production of biofuels and what effect they have on the costs of food and on the environment. The resolution did not contain stronger language sought by critics of biofuels, which are strongly supported by the Bush administration.
The three-day summit was called by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization as an emergency response to food prices that officials say could threaten nearly 1 billion people with starvation. U.N. officials said between $20 billion and $30 billion a year was needed to fight hunger, which can also trigger social and political unrest.
“This has reminded us that there are still millions of people in the world … who face famine,” said Denzil Douglas, the prime minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, who briefed reporters after the resolution was adopted. “I believe now resources will be mobilized quickly.”
Numerous issues split the delegates, and there were moments that a final agreement seemed elusive.
Led by Argentina, Cuba, and Venezuela, a veritable revolt by much of Latin America dragged negotiations hours past the original conclusion deadline and frayed the nerves of numerous participants. One African delegate chided her colleagues for creating the “appearance of grandstanding … as people are dying.”
But the Latin American delegates said the declaration was paying lip service to the starvation crisis. These delegates noted that the final document did not condemn subsidies maintained by wealthy nations nor did it challenge the price-aggravating control exercised by big agricultural companies.
