2 July 2008
New York — Ahead of next week’s summit of the world’s leading industrialized nations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has issued a call for decisive action to deal with the global food crisis, address climate change and eradicate poverty.
“Never in recent memory has the global economy been under such stress,” Mr. Ban says in an op-ed that appeared today in The Washington Post, as well as in news outlets in the other Group of Eight industrialized nations, prior to their summit which begins in Hokkaido on 7 July.
“More than ever, this is the moment to prove that we can cooperate globally to deliver results: in meeting the needs of the hungry and the poor, in promoting sustainable energy technologies for all, in saving the world from climate change – and in keeping the global economy growing,” he writes.
Recent years have been marked by the kind of economic growth that has raised living standards worldwide and lifted billions out of poverty. “Yet today, many wonder how long it can last,” the Secretary-General notes, adding that “plenty comes at an increasingly high price.”
The world is already witnessing the rising cost of fuel, food and commodities, he states. At the same time, climate change and environmental degradation threaten the future of the planet.
“We know that these issues affect us all: north and south, large nations and small, rich and poor. And we know we must find ways to extend the benefits of the global boom to those who have been left behind, the so-called ‘bottom billion,” he says. “In dealing with problems of such dimension and complexity, there is only one possible approach: to see them for what they are – as parts of a whole requiring a comprehensive solution.”
The Secretary-General states that among the causes of the global food crisis is a failure to give agricultural development the importance it deserves.
Emphasizing the need for the sort of “green revolution” that transformed South-East Asia, Mr. Ban says he will call on G-8 nations in Hokkaido to triple official assistance for agricultural research and development over the next three to five years. Also needed is urgent action to get seeds, fertilizers and other agricultural inputs to farmers in poor countries, and the elimination of barriers that distort trade patterns and drive up prices.
On climate change, he notes that alternative technologies are among the best hopes for cleaner, affordable power. National and international leaders have a duty to assist in guiding and hastening this transformation, by changing social behaviour and consumption patterns throughout the developed world. “And we must help developing countries ‘green’ their economies by spreading climate-friendly technologies as broadly as possible,” the Secretary-General writes.
G-8 leaders can take a “big step forward” by funding the global Adaptation Fund and ensuring it becomes operational, says Mr. Ban, who also calls for pushing ahead with negotiations for a comprehensive agreement limiting greenhouse gases.
“Hokkaido will test our commitment to the Millennium Development Goals,” he adds, referring to the set of anti-poverty targets to be achieved worldwide by 2015. He urges donors to fulfil their promises to assist countries, particularly those in Africa, meet their development objectives.
“We must act, in Hokkaido and beyond – not merely because it is the right thing to do but also because it is in the enlightened interest of all of us,” Mr. Ban emphasizes.
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Welcome the Sino-African fraternal relation China is positive to Africa by any measure. The west, particularly Europe not ! It is clear; every country has its own national interests. China likewise; They need new markets,new raw material sources for their thriving industry. But: Africans have to think economically. Plus minus thinking. China is by far the biggest PLUS in comparison to the European racists. China builds roads, bridges, rail ways, sea ports, hospitals, irrigation and electrical power dams. The Europeans and their followers, don't like to see a developed Africa. The notion of a prosperous Africa does no conform to the European ideology and ethos towards Africa (BLACK). Europe believes that Africans are born to be slaves. Civilization and prosperity, according to them, is not in black peoples' nature. In the future they shall try every thing possible to block the Sino-African cooperation historical project. They may arm Taiwan to threaten the Chinese sovereignty. Other possible sabotage actions: Destabilize Hong Kong, fuel up territorial disputes through the arch rivals of China, like India and Japan, Using massive media propaganda to demonize china on human rights, environmental protection, exploitation of African resources (colonization of Africa by china !!), ect. etc. It is in the interest of all developing countries that the world gets many multipolar power centers. Power monopoly only by the west is dangerous. We need multicolor power zones: The emerging Powers like India, China, Brazil, Argentina bring more justice to the world and it’s inhabitants. Unipolarism makes the planet unsafe. Power balance does well. Power balance comes if Africans and the rest, the so called third world countries do more business with the emerging economies. That way, the chauvinist, arrogant economy of the west goes down the drain. They can’t get richer and richer with out their old neo- colonial markets in Africa, where they used to damp down their obscenely expensive industrial products. If peace reigns, if basic infrastructures are optimally built up, if the west stops it's heinous protectionist trade policies, stops blocking a mutual technology transfer, Africa can undoubtedly be prosperous too. Why not ?!!
Welcome the Sino-African fraternal relation China is positive to Africa by any measure. The west, particularly Europe not ! It is clear; every country has its own national interests. China likewise; They need new markets,new raw material sources for their thriving industry. But: Africans have to think economically. Plus minus thinking. China is by far the biggest PLUS in comparison to the European racists. China builds roads, bridges, rail ways, sea ports, hospitals, irrigation and electrical power dams. The Europeans and their followers, don't like to see a developed Africa. The notion of a prosperous Africa does no conform to the European ideology and ethos towards Africa (BLACK). Europe believes that Africans are born to be slaves. Civilization and prosperity, according to them, is not in black peoples' nature. In the future they shall try every thing possible to block the Sino-African cooperation historical project. They may arm Taiwan to threaten the Chinese sovereignty. Other possible sabotage actions: Destabilize Hong Kong, fuel up territorial disputes through the arch rivals of China, like India and Japan, Using massive media propaganda to demonize china on human rights, environmental protection, exploitation of African resources (colonization of Africa by china !!), ect. etc. It is in the interest of all developing countries that the world gets many multipolar power centers. Power monopoly only by the west is dangerous. We need multicolor power zones: The emerging Powers like India, China, Brazil, Argentina bring more justice to the world and it’s inhabitants. Unipolarism makes the planet unsafe. Power balance does well. Power balance comes if Africans and the rest, the so called third world countries do more business with the emerging economies. That way, the chauvinist, arrogant economy of the west goes down the drain. They can’t get richer and richer with out their old neo- colonial markets in Africa, where they used to damp down their obscenely expensive industrial products. If peace reigns, if basic infrastructures are optimally built up, if the west stops it's heinous protectionist trade policies, stops blocking a mutual technology transfer, Africa can undoubtedly be prosperous too. Why not ?!!
The G-8 must deal with the energy crisis which makes the food crisis more desperate for all economies. The fastest, easiest, fairest way to cut fuel demand and cut prices for fuel would be instituting one day of no work for anyone. That cuts energy use, pollution, and global warming by about 1/7th, leaving a good supply. It cuts a need for nuclear energy, and cuts the urgent need for biofuels so food can remain food.
To get agreement on the one day, all holy books say to follow God’s law. The Ten Commandments cut in stone are God’s law. Exodus 20:8-11 commands the 7th day, sunset Friday to sunset Saturday, to be the day of no work. Deuteronomy 4:2 commands not to change it. This is easy to implement for immediate relief of high energy costs and supply fears.
Eating meat is the third greatest preventable cause of death. Ninety percent (90%) of the US grain goes to feed animals and one-third (1/3) of Africa's peanut crop goes to feed animals in Europe. Using this wisdom can make us healthier, provide more food for others, and saves us money in food and health care costs including health care insurance costs. Letting animals graze or cutting the numbers of animals for food releases tons of grains and peanuts for the people of Africa. There are easy solutions available; we need to adopt them for use.