Brussels, 21/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - The “New Alliance” to improve food and nutrition security, launched at Camp David on 18 May, is one of the breakthroughs of the G8 summit which has the full support of the European Union. The new initiative gathers together donors, partner countries and the private sector in a joint effort to lift 50 million people out of poverty over the next ten years. The objective is ambitious and, to have any chance of being attained, it is important that, as a start, the pledges of donations made at the Aquila summit three years ago (8-19 July 2009) should be honoured. But this is not the case. Such was the conclusion reached by the leaders of the eight most powerful countries of the planet to the utmost satisfaction of the European Commission, which has not only met its commitment to allocate €3.8 billion but has done even better than planned by making the sum available in two years rather than in three.
Commenting on the results of the Camp David meeting, Kristalina Georgieva, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, states in a joint press release: “The European Union is at the forefront of the fight against hunger, as demonstrated by our speedy delivery on the commitments we made at the Aquila G8 Summit in 2009. During the food crises which hit the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, the EU has provided substantial and swift support to help the worst affected people. Since then, we have launched initiatives to assist the affected countries to prepare better for disasters and make them more resilient. We are confident that, by making donors and the private sector work together, we can help tackle the root causes of hunger and eradicate hunger”.
In their final declaration, the G8 leaders state that the New Alliance to improve food and nutrition security aims to speed up private flows of capital towards African agriculture and to develop the impact of new technologies and other innovations that can increase sustainable agricultural production and reduce the risks inherent to vulnerable communities and economies.
“Our progress has been measurable, and together we have changed the lives of hundreds of millions of people. International assistance alone, however, cannot fulfil our shared objectives. As we move forward, and even as we recommit to working together to reduce poverty, we recognise that our task is also to foster the change that can end it, by investing in Africa's growth, its expanding role in the global economy and its success”, the Camp David Declaration reads. It is in the context of this effort that the G8 leaders have undertaken to do what is necessary so that the promises made in Aquila are fully kept and in order to take new measures to speed up progress towards food and nutrition security in Africa and in the world as a whole. (AN/transl.jl)