The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon has accepted the Bangladesh proposal for setting up a task force on food crisis.

Foreign Adviser Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury during the current UNCTAD XII in the Ghanaian capital proposed that the UN Secretary General may set up a task force to address the current global food crisis, which was enthusiastically received by the attending delegations.

The foreign adviser's proposal, made from the chair of the LDC Ministers' Conference on the sidelines of UNCTAD, was incorporated in the Declaration issued by the LDCs in Accra on April 20 last.

In his inaugural remarks at UNCTAD XII, Ban Ki- moon declared that he would immediately establish a high powered task force, comprising eminent experts and leading policy authorities, to address this issue, according to a message received here on Tuesday.

"We hear the call of the least developed countries (LDCs) to deal with market failures and stabilise world food prices," he said adding that the task force might also deal with the longer term security issues of agricultural productivity, land utilisation, financing mechanisms and all other elements of the current crisis.

The UN Secretary General urged the leaders of the international community to sit down together and give this matter their fullest attention as soon as possible.

Dr. Iftekhar Chowdhury welcomed the Secretary General's remarks saying "Mr. Ban Ki-moon was quick to respond to our call, which reflected an overwhelming sentiment and that is the mark of true leadership".

He said that the task force should not only look at stabilising the food price, but also lowering it to make food more available to the teeming masses of Africa and Asia.

"Bangladesh will work closely with the Secretary General in this regard", he added. The foreign adviser had also identified 'climate change and spiraling food prices' as the twin challenges facing developing countries at present times.