Towards a global partnership for food security?

(22 April 2008)

FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf was in Paris and had meetings with M. Bernard Kouchner on 21 April and President Sarkozy on 22 April 2008.

On 8 April at his press briefing, the minister drew attention to the seriousness of the global food crisis driven by the steady rise in prices of foodstuffs. He called for a strong, swift reaction and international mobilization. On his initiative and with Michel Barnier, an interministerial working group has been set up to consider the solutions we could propose.

We certainly believe it’s essential to act and react as a matter of urgency - and what is essential now is food aid, - but there is also need for long-term action.

In the short term, President Sarkozy announced a doubling of our food aid. In his meeting with M. Diouf, the minister discussed the possibility of medium- and long-term measures. He emphasized in particular the importance of a European debate and perhaps a European initiative to advance the idea of a global partnership for food security. He also stressed the need to think about innovative methods of financing.

- Food crisis - Christine Lagarde and Alain Joyandet’s article in "Liberation" (Paris, 22 April 2008)
- President Sarkozy addresses the Third Major Economies Meeting (Paris, 18 April 2008)
- Alain Joyandet proposes international task force to deal with food price hike (Paris, 14 April 2008)