Afp, United Nations, The Daily Star, 14 May 2008

 

A UN special task force on the world food crisis sweeping the globe met for the first time on Monday with the aim of designing an action plan to combat high prices and food shortages.

Under the authority of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the group’s mission is to “to promote a coherent and coordinated response to the current food security crisis,” a preparatory statement said.

Among the key goals are to develop a “comprehensive framework for action,” including a series of short and long term plans for combating the food crisis which has sparked riots, protests and export restrictions worldwide.

Global food prices have nearly doubled in three years according to the World Bank, with experts blaming the soaring prices on trade restrictions, poor growing weather, rising use of biofuels that rely on staples like corn and the hike in fuel prices that make transporting food more expensive.