Brussels, 03/08/2012 (Agence Europe) - On 1 August, Kristalina Georgieva, the Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response signed the new Food Assistance Convention. This new international agreement defines the global rules governing food aid provided by major donors, in line with the principles governing international humanitarian law. The aim of the new Convention is to focus on the most vulnerable populations in an efficient and effective way using a bigger toolbox that now includes cash, nutrition, protection of livelihoods in emergency and recovery situations in a world in which crises are breaking out throughout the world. The Commissioner said that, “close to a billion men, women and children will go to bed hungry tonight due to extreme poverty, the devastating impact of climate change and natural disasters. This year alone, huge hunger crises have devastated the Sahel, Yemen, South Sudan and the Horn of Africa, and drought in the US is likely to drive global food prices higher, deepening food insecurity for the world's most vulnerable people. For thousands of them this would mean premature death - with children under the age of five at highest risk”.
Through this Convention, members pledge to provide at least a set amount of food assistance, demonstrating an important commitment among donor states to address world hunger. The Food Assistance Convention is an international agreement that has been negotiated by the European Union and 35 countries (all EU member states plus Argentina, Australia, Canada, Croatia, Japan, Norway, Switzerland and the United States). Parliament's consent is expected by November at the latest, so that the EU can deposit the instrument of ratification within the deadline. Ratification by five of the signatories will enable the new Convention to come into force on 1 January 2013. (AN/transl.fl)