全球八大工業國(G8)的領袖在進行3天討論之後,於7月9日晚上整理行囊打道回府。這3天的討論是要尋求解決全球糧食危機、全權暖化及其他議題的方法。
聯合國秘書長潘基文樂見八大工業國在氣候變遷、糧食安全及開發議題上表達意見,並表示這是「好的開始」。
潘基文在9日八大工業國高峰會議結論聲明中指出:「在這次會議的討論提供全球行動的初步方向,在未來幾週及幾個月這些行動必須加速進行」。
潘基文為八大工業國「堅實的承諾」感到高興,他們承諾以「全球糧食伙伴關係(Global Partnership for Food)」的模式因應全球糧食危機,這個行動將由聯合國進行支援與協調。
潘基文表示:「八大工業國都覺得解決全球千百萬飢餓民眾所需的即時糧食、營養及農業設施是刻不容緩的事,這樣的反應是令人鼓舞的」。
飆高的糧食價格已經在至少24個國家引發了暴動與示威,這些國家的人民處在飢餓狀況卻沒有能力購買糧食或是幾乎沒有糧食可買。
八大工業國在9日的聯合聲明中表示:「我們十分擔心全球糧食價格急遽上升再加上一些開發中國家供需問題將威脅全球糧食安全」。
加拿大、法國、德國、義大利、日本、俄國、英國及美國的領袖們表示:「這個最近趨勢的負面衝擊將再使數百萬人被擠回貧窮之列,使聯合國千禧年發展目標(Millennium Development Goals)已成就的進展往後退步。我們已經決定以協調者角色,用一切可能的方式,如同2008年1月所承諾的一樣,為了此事的中長程目的,挹注100億美元來支持受影響國家的糧食援助、營養介入工作、社會保護活動及增加農業產出的行動。」
他們號召其他捐贈者加入他們來資助增加農業生產及為全球數以百萬計飢民募得糧食,但是在他們9日的對外聲明中並未作出提供額外資金的承諾。
八大工業國領袖的確答應要扭轉整體資援下降的情形及在農業部分進行投資,並要支援開發中國家的一些計畫,這些計畫包括在非洲全面性有效執行「非洲農業全面發展計劃(Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme, CAADP)」。
這些領袖們對世界銀行最近所公布為因應即時需求的12億美元快速融資新方案表示肯定,但是對於世界銀行總裁佐利克(Robert Zoellick)前一週請求提供更多捐贈的呼籲卻沒有回應。
The leaders of the world's eight wealthiest countries, the G8, packed their bags and headed home tonight after three days of discussions that dealt with ways to solve the global food crisis and global warming, among other issues.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the G8 statement on climate change, food security and development as "a good start."
"The discussion here provides initial direction for global efforts that must be accelerated in the coming weeks and months," Ban said in a statement issued today at the conclusion of the G8 Summit.
Ban was pleased with the "strong commitment" of the G8 to address the global food crisis in a Global Partnership for Food, facilitated and coordinated by the United Nations.
"The sense of urgency displayed by the G-8 in tackling the most immediate food, nutrition, and agricultural inputs needs of tens of millions of hungry people worldwide is encouraging," the secretary-general said.
The skyrocketing cost of basic foods has touched off riots and demonstrations in at least two dozen countries where people are hungry but cannot afford to buy food or where food is so scarce there is little to buy.
"We are deeply concerned that the steep rise in global food prices coupled with availability problems in a number of developing countries is threatening global food security," the G8 leaders said in a joint statement today.
"The negative impacts of this recent trend could push millions more back into poverty, rolling back progress made towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals," said the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. "We are determined to take all possible measures in a coordinated manner, and since January 2008 have committed, for short, medium and long-term purposes, over US$10 billion to support food aid, nutrition interventions, social protection activities and measures to increase agricultural output in affected countries," the G8 leaders said.
They called for other donors to join them in funding the necessary measures to increase agricultural production and get food to the starving millions around the world, but made no additional financial commitments in their communique today.
The G8 leaders did agree to reverse the overall decline of aid and investment in the agricultural sector, and to achieve significant increases in support of developing country initiatives, including, in Africa, through full and effective implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme, CAADP.
They welcomed the World Bank's recent announcement of a new US$1.2 billion rapid financing facility to address immediate needs, but did not respond to World Bank President Robert Zoellick's plea last week for more donations.
全文及圖片詳見:ENS