Increase in food prices – Creation of an international task force – Communiqué issued by M. Alain Joyandet, Minister of State responsible for Cooperation and Francophony

Paris, 14 April 2008

Last Saturday and Sunday in Washington, Alain Joyandet, Minister of State responsible for Cooperation and Francophony, put forward the idea of an international task force to deal directly and in a coordinated way with the increase in food prices.

During his meetings, particularly with World Bank and World Food Programme (WFP) officials, the Minister of State proposed bringing the Bretton Woods Institutions, bilateral and multilateral donors, major NGOs and international foundations together in an international task force under the aegis of the WFP to find ways of immediately providing support in the current crisis. The task force could assist partner countries in implementing emergency measures such as temporarily lowering customs tariffs, introducing safety nets to cushion the effects of the price increases on the most vulnerable populations and putting in place support measures, including subsidies, to stimulate local production.

Alain Joyandet also proposed encouraging on a longer-term basis the revival of subsistence farming, replenishment of reserves funds and formation of human capital.

At the Development Committee, the Minister of State welcomed the pledges made by World Bank President Robert Zoellick to deal with the current crisis.

Finally, he gave assurances that France was going to respond to the WFP emergency appeal by increasing her contribution./.