WFP welcomes G8 resolve

ROME – The World Food Programme today welcomed the commitment shown by global leaders at the G8 summit in Japan to support efforts to soften the impact of high food prices on the poor.

“What we have seen at the G8 summit is the resolve to help protect the poorest from the devastating effect of high food prices and to find long term solutions to the food crisis,” said Josette
Sheeran, Executive Director of the World Food Programme. “We need to follow through with practical measures that can make a real difference in addressing urgent hunger needs throughout the
world.”

WFP has led the way in demanding concerted international action to address the effects of high food prices on the poor. It has been calling for a range of measures including:

– Un-tied or un-earmarked donations that give WFP greater flexibility for procuring and pre-positioning food for the hungry.

– The lifting of export restrictions on all humanitarian food purchases.

– Urgent consideration of the possible need for humanitarian global grain reserves.

“We are living in unusual times, and this requires practical solutions now if we are going to confront the challenges we face,” said Sheeran. “The G8 xpressed resolve, which I welcome. Now
comes the hard part: solving problems and reaching as many hungry people as possible in as sustainable a way as possible.”