Brussels, 08/04/2008 (Agence Europe) - The sharp rise in foodstuffs and its impact on food safety and living conditions for Africans, were some of the reasons for the concern expressed by Jean Ping, president designate at the African Union Commission and Louis Michel, European Commissioner for development and humanitarian aid on Tuesday 8 April in Brussels.
Jean Ping met Commissioner Michel for a look at subjects of mutual interest to Africa and Europe and linked since December 2007 through a joint strategy. The former called for the international community to mobilise reinvestment in agriculture, particularly in Africa, and subsequently create the conditions for food self-sufficiency. According to Ping, this should a priority in meeting a major challenge that has already provoked a stream of food riots in several West African countries (Mauritania, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Senegal). African ministers of the economy and finance meeting on 2 April in Addis-Ababa warned that this situation represented a, “a significant threat to growth, peace and security in Africa”. The president of the World Bank, Robert Zoellick recently called for a new world food policy to help African countries counter the spiralling rise in food prices and staples.
Louis Michel was alarmed by the, “developing world food shock, less visible than the oil shock but with the potential effect of a real economic and humanitarian tsunami in Africa” but provided assurances to Jean Ping that the European Commission would not be simply twiddling its thumbs. It intends to strengthen short term emergency food aid and also encourage international mobilisation on the question of food safety in Africa, indicated the Commissioner. Financial resources focusing on agriculture and rural development in EU cooperation and 78 ACP countries (Africa, Caribbean/Pacific) will have a much more significant impact in the tenth European Development Fund (EDF), with €1.2bn for 2008-13, which was not contained under the 9th EDF that only had €650 million.
Michel and Ping also said they wanted to work together to implement the joint EU/Africa strategy adopted during the second EU/Africa summit of Lisbon.
Designated as a successor to Alpha Oumar Konaré, Jean Ping from Gabon, will begin working at the presidency of the AU Commission on 28 April. (A.N.)