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Gordon Brown Says World 'Cannot Aford To Fail' On Food Crisis
The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 6-3-2008 | Tom Peterkin

Posted on 06/03/2008 6:47:57 PM PDT by blam

Gordon Brown says world 'cannot afford to fail' on food crisis

By Tom Peterkin
Last Updated: 11:54PM BST 03/06/2008

Gordon Brown warned that the world "cannot afford to fail" to deal with the global food crisis, which is resulting in 9,000 under-fives starving to death each day.

Speaking as heads of state prepared to meet for a United Nations summit on soaring food prices, the Prime Minister said it was vital to increase food production in the world's poorest countries.

"The fact that food prices have reached record levels can only worsen these already devastating figures," Mr Brown said in a joint article with Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the Spanish Prime Minister.

"For the poorest quarter of the global population, three-quarters of their income is now taken up by the costs of food.

"According to the World Bank, the success in reducing world poverty during the last seven years could be jeopardised. Immediate action is essential."

They welcomed the creation of a UN task force and the response to aid appeals. But more had to be done to protect the vulnerable, they said. While more had to be invested in local agriculture.

They also called for a new world trade deal to be agreed. They said the three day summit in Rome should mark "the start of a co-ordinated and integrated international response to overcome the global food crisis."

The presence of Robert Mugabe, the Zimbabwe President blamed for wrecking his country's economy and leaving millions dependent on food aid, could overshadow the meeting hosted by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation.

Despite being the subject of an EU travel ban, Mr Mugabe has been able to get round it because it is a UN event.

Mr Brown boycotted an EU-Africa summit in Portugal last December because Mr Mugabe was attending.

But the critical state of the food crisis has meant that Douglas Alexander, the International Development Secretary, would go.

The Prime Minister's spokesman said Mr Alexander would not have "anything to do with" the Zimbabwean president during the gathering.

Mr Alexander said: "I think it is obscene. I will neither shake hands with Robert Mugabe nor meet Robert Mugabe. I will take the opportunity to make clear my abhorrence at his attendance at a meeting which is supposed to be about increasing the supply of food while his policies have directly the reverse effect in Zimbabwe."


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: crisis; food; foodcrisis; gordonbrown; hunger
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1 posted on 06/03/2008 6:47:57 PM PDT by blam
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To: blam
Zimbabwe Crisis: White Farming Couple Beaten And Kicked Off Land
2 posted on 06/03/2008 6:49:19 PM PDT by blam
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To: blam
Rich Countries 'Failed To Heed' Food Crisis Warnings

See...it's your fault!!

3 posted on 06/03/2008 6:51:21 PM PDT by blam
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To: blam

Is anyone making the connection between high fuel prices and inadequate food production? They could lay the problem at the feet of OPEC.


4 posted on 06/03/2008 6:53:35 PM PDT by marsh2
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To: Gordon Brown

"9,000 under-fives starving to death each day"

Feel free to rescue as many as you care to.


5 posted on 06/03/2008 6:55:02 PM PDT by I see my hands (_8(|)
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To: blam
Leaders at UN food summit tone down menu over fears of hypocrisy
6 posted on 06/03/2008 7:01:48 PM PDT by blam
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To: blam
9,000 under-fives starving to death each day.

Maybe they can quit screwing like dogs and take care of the existing brood that they knew that they couldn't afford? Perhaps more real work and less sex?

7 posted on 06/03/2008 7:03:55 PM PDT by Eaker (Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to have TheMom kill everyone you meet.)
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To: blam
Oh, please. What total bullsh*t.

Sam Kinnison had solved this problem 20 years ago, but nobody listened.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKNoJ2BzSRU&feature=related

I am serious - watch his solution and tell me it does not make sense...

8 posted on 06/03/2008 7:09:13 PM PDT by bill1952 (I will vote for McCain if he resigns his Senate seat before this election.)
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To: blam

Stop using corn for everything but food. How many people can the earth support?


9 posted on 06/03/2008 7:22:49 PM PDT by RC2
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To: blam

And we are supposed to send billions to the crooks at the UN, who stole the “Oil for Food” money in Iraq and let the babies starve? No thanks. Let the churches handle feeding the poor. The UN is too corrupt.


10 posted on 06/03/2008 7:23:15 PM PDT by kittymyrib
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To: blam

How about other countries pick up a shovel and plant their own food. OH....I forgot, nothing grows in the desert but they won’t move out..........stupid.


11 posted on 06/03/2008 7:24:26 PM PDT by RC2
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To: Eaker

Well done! It must have taken you at least 5 seconds to come up with that opinion. It must have been a mammoth struggle for you to concentrate for that long. Sadly, the idea you came up with itself was not good enough to make it past the gate as an opinion that should be taken seriously rather than mocked for it’s hilarious half-arsedness....


12 posted on 06/03/2008 7:24:28 PM PDT by thundrey
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To: Eaker

The situation is truely hopeless.The culture exhorts to have as many kids as possible,reality be damned.There is nothing we can do to deliver them from their ignorance.


13 posted on 06/03/2008 7:28:49 PM PDT by Farmer Dean (168 grains of instant conflict resolution)
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To: RC2
It doesn't matter how many the Earth can support.

The Underdeveloped countries will ALWAYS produce more than the Earth can support, then beg someone else to feed them while they're off making yet more.

14 posted on 06/03/2008 7:32:13 PM PDT by HeartlandOfAmerica (Don't blame me - I voted for Fred and am STILL a FredHead!)
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To: blam
Awe sheesh! Not another crisis.
15 posted on 06/03/2008 7:39:05 PM PDT by uptoolate (The Republican fear of Liberalism is why we are in this predicament)
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To: blam
Why not have one, last drunken, ethanol-induced orgy and then push "The Button" and end all this nonsense?

No more 12th Imams, no Jaysus is gonna git yew, no more my God's gonna beat your god's ass?...please pass the catsup, my shoe-leather is a bit chewy.

Okay, I'll take my meds now.....

16 posted on 06/03/2008 7:39:44 PM PDT by stboz
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To: blam

Ann Coulter still has the best solution to solving the problems of the world’s poorest countries. Kill their leaders, take over their countries, convert them to capitalism. (OK, that last word is mine, but it will work.)

This would give the UN something to do.


17 posted on 06/03/2008 7:46:58 PM PDT by tickmeister (tickmeister)
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To: HeartlandOfAmerica

Mandate that for food aid they must accept norplant / depo provera / contraceptive shots.
If you cannot feed the children you have, you cannot be allowed to have more.
And if they were not burdened breeding machines, maybe they’d have more time, energy, attention and food for the existing children.


18 posted on 06/03/2008 7:50:57 PM PDT by tbw2 ("Sirat: Through the Fires of Hell" by Tamara Wilhite - on amazon.com)
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To: thundrey
Well, you've poked fun at Eaker's post, but have not said a serious word to negate it. One can only suppose that you have an extremely weak debate.
19 posted on 06/03/2008 7:55:04 PM PDT by HeartlandOfAmerica (Don't blame me - I voted for Fred and am STILL a FredHead!)
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To: tbw2
Nor is a great idea. I'm tired of paying the tax dollars that are subsidizing them for making yet MORE mouths that are going to need to be fed in 5 years.

The truth of the matter is that if Western capitalism hadn't made the world so wealthy, these excess people would have died long since.

Even if the West feeds them, it can't keep on feeding them. and who's going to feed their children and grandchildren?

not me. sorry. I'm busyworking to feed my own children and grandchildren. If these "poor" would emulate my example, there'd be no problem, now would there?

20 posted on 06/03/2008 7:58:59 PM PDT by HeartlandOfAmerica (Don't blame me - I voted for Fred and am STILL a FredHead!)
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