South Asian nations discuss food bank
Friday, August 1, 2008
SOUTH Asian foreign ministers began discussing yesterday details of an ambitious plan to fight hunger in the region, including building a common food grains reserve.
The ministers are meeting to set the stage for an August 2-3 summit of South Asian leaders where their recommendations on food and energy security and terrorism will be adopted for action.
The proposals include building a food bank and regional buffer stocks that any member country can use in times of need.
"The ministers are discussing modalities of repayment and also details of storing and transporting," an Saarc standing committee member told Reuters on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak.
"The initial reserve of the food bank could be around 240,000 metric tonnes."
The leaders of the eight-nation South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) are also expected to take steps to invigorate the South Asian Free Trade Area agreement signed in 2004 but which came into effect only two years later.
SAARC represents around a fifth of humanity and remains one of the world's poorest regions.
"Food and energy crisis is a common scourge, and all the members have unanimously resolved to act against it," said Palitha Kohona, Sri Lanka's foreign secretary.
Saarc was established in 1985 by Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan became the eighth member in 2007. The grouping was formed to foster economic development in the region but old rivalries among members have blocked progress for the group. Its perceived failure to take off despite many summits has been traced to mistrust and animosity between its two biggest members, India and Pakistan.
Reuters
The ministers are meeting to set the stage for an August 2-3 summit of South Asian leaders where their recommendations on food and energy security and terrorism will be adopted for action.
The proposals include building a food bank and regional buffer stocks that any member country can use in times of need.
"The ministers are discussing modalities of repayment and also details of storing and transporting," an Saarc standing committee member told Reuters on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak.
"The initial reserve of the food bank could be around 240,000 metric tonnes."
The leaders of the eight-nation South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) are also expected to take steps to invigorate the South Asian Free Trade Area agreement signed in 2004 but which came into effect only two years later.
SAARC represents around a fifth of humanity and remains one of the world's poorest regions.
"Food and energy crisis is a common scourge, and all the members have unanimously resolved to act against it," said Palitha Kohona, Sri Lanka's foreign secretary.
Saarc was established in 1985 by Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan became the eighth member in 2007. The grouping was formed to foster economic development in the region but old rivalries among members have blocked progress for the group. Its perceived failure to take off despite many summits has been traced to mistrust and animosity between its two biggest members, India and Pakistan.
Reuters
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