糧食價格的不斷攀升，致使貧窮與不安狀態持續升高的警訊，使得數名聯合國資深官員開始徵求各國對此全球危機進行緊急應對措施，而全球的窮人正是這個危機的最大受害者。
聯合國世界糧食計劃署（The World Food Programme，WFP）的副執行主任鮑威爾 (John Powell) 對一個「飢餓的新面目」提出警告，並表示這個現象需要結合各政府、私部門及人道組織的力量才能克服。他在杜拜國際人道救援與發展大會（Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference, DIHAD）上指出：「糧食價格現在正以大多數人這輩子從未見過的速度飆昇」。這個會議4月8日在杜拜國際會議中心（Dubai International Convention Centre）開幕之後將舉行3天。鮑威爾表示他對於市面上充滿食物但很多民眾就是沒有能力購買的情形感到憂心。
3月世界糧食計劃署表示，他們正在籌措經費以彌補由於近來全球糧食與燃料價格障礙所造成的5億美元缺口，此價格上升幅度估計從2007年6月以來已達55%。
在9日的大會中，聯合國人道事務署副秘書長（UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs）赫姆斯（John Holmes）警告，飆升的糧食價格將可能引發全球的不安，並威脅政治的穩定性。
過去幾週裡，有幾個國家發生了一些對抗糧食價格飆升的暴力抗爭活動，這些國家包括布吉納法索（Burkina Faso）、喀麥隆（Cameroon）、埃及、塞內加爾（Senegal）、摩洛哥以及最近的海地。上週在海地有4個人在糧食抗爭暴動中喪生。
儘管該國總統浦雷華（Rene Preval）下令停止暴動，在海地的一些暴力抗爭運動仍舊持續進行中，9000名聯合國和平部隊也無法終止因糧食價格上升而導致的搶劫與暴力行動。身為全球最大的糧食配給部門，世界糧食計劃署再一次徵求糧食捐贈者來緊急支援計畫署在海地的援助工作，這個國家在這場糧食價格硬仗中，所受的傷害特別嚴重。
到目前為止，計劃署僅募得所需9600萬美元中的13%的經費（約合1240萬美元），其所需的經費將用來協助海地，這個西半球最窮國家的170萬民眾。結果，計劃署表示目前所募得的錢僅夠支援整個4月份的運作。
同時兼任聯合國緊急救援協調人的赫姆斯9日在與科威特官員會面的場合裡討論糧食價格高漲的議題。在他前往4個波斯灣國家，試圖鼓吹更緊密國際人道行動夥伴關係的行程裡，科威特是最後一站。
Warning that spiralling food prices are leading to increased poverty and unrest, several senior United Nations officials are calling for urgent measures to tackle the global crisis, which is causing the most suffering among the world's poor.
The World Food Programme's deputy executive director is warning of a "new face of hunger" that will require the combined efforts of governments, the private sector, and humanitarian organizations to overcome.
"Food prices are now rising at rates that few of us can ever have seen before in our lifetimes," John Powell told the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference, DIHAD, a three day event that opened Tuesday at the Dubai International Convention Centre.
Powell said he is concerned about the fact that markets are full of food, but large numbers of people simply cannot afford to buy.
Last month, the World Food Programme said it is seeking funding to close a $500 million gap caused by the global spike in food and fuel prices, which have increased by an estimated 55 percent since last June.
Yesterday, at the same conference, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes warned that rising food prices could spark worldwide unrest and threaten political stability.
In the past few weeks, violent protests over rising food prices have occurred in a number of countries, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Senegal, Morocco and, most recently, in Haiti, where four people died in food riots last week.
The Haitian riots are continuing despite orders to stop from President Rene Preval, and 9,000 UN peacekeepers have not been able to end the looting and violence over rising food prices.
The world's largest food distribution agency, the World Food Programme has called on donors once again to urgently support its operations in Haiti, which has been particularly vulnerable to the spike in costs.
So far the agency has only received 13 percent, or $12.4 million, of the $96 million required to assist 1.7 million people in Haiti, the Western Hemisphere's poorest country.
s a result, the World Food Programme says it barely has enough funding to support operations throughout April.
Holmes, who is also UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, discussed the issue of high food prices today in meetings with officials in Kuwait, the latest stop on his four-nation visit intended to encourage greater partnership with Gulf states in international humanitarian efforts.
全文及圖片詳見：ENS
作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
