Today, the world is witnessing escalating social tension in many countries across the globe as a result of the sharp rise in the price of basic food. This development has the potential to dramatically increase the numbers of people suffering from hunger and malnutrition and to undermine the recent progress made in reducing poverty and hunger. In response to growing calls for immediate action to be taken, the President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council Léo Mérorès convened a Special Meeting of ECOSOC on Global Food Crisis on 20-22 May 2008 at United Nations Headquarters in New York .
At the 2005 World Summit, Member States called on ECOSOC to respond better and more rapidly to developments in the international economic, environmental and social fields, as well as to support and complement international efforts aimed at addressing humanitarian emergencies. As part of ECOSOC's renewed efforts to be more proactive in forging more coherent responses to emergencies, the Special Meeting looked at the emerging threat posed by the global food crisis and its impact on food security for the poor and the most vulnerable.
The objectives of the meeting were to:
- Identify short-term emergency measures that can be taken at national and international levels to feed the hungry and to bring prices down while strengthening household food security via targeted safety nets.
- Enhance regional and international cooperation to address both the causes and the consequences of high food prices and to work towards greater price stability.
- Identify a strong coordinated and coherent approach both by the UN system and between the UN system and the broader international community.
A Presidential Statement (E/2008/66) was issued at the end of the meeting.
- Programme
- Issues Note
- Biographies
- Webcast & Statements
- A – Webcast
- 20 May 2008 - Special Meeting on the Global Food Crisis (Opening). Video ( English / Original Language )
- 21 May 2008 - Special Meeting on the Global Food Crisis (Continued). Video ( English / Original Language )
- B – Statements
- Opening
- Video Messages
- H.E. Mr. Bingu wa Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi ((Video) Short version / Long version);
- H.E. Mr. Gordon Brown, Prime Minister, United Kingdom (Video)
- Statements
- H.E. Mrs. Asha-Rose Migiro, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations (Video);
- H.E. Mr. Srgjan Kerim, President of the Sixty-Second Session of the General Assembly (Video);
- H.E. Sir John Sawers, President of the Security Council (May) (Video)
- Keynote Address
- Remarks
- Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute, Columbia University (Video)
- Dr. Robert Glasser, Secretary-General, CARE International (Video)
- Mr. James Borel on behalf of the International Chamber of Commerce (Video)
- Statements by Member States
- Spain
- France
- Statement by H.E. Mr. Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- Antigua and Barbuda, on behalf of G77 and China
- Slovenia, on behalf of EU
- Tajikistan, on behalf of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
- Bangladesh
- Mexico, on behalf of Rio Group
- Australia
- Switzerland
- Sri Lanka
- Japan
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Indonesia
- Egypt
- India
- Norway
- Colombia
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Philippines
- Honduras
- El Salvador
- Jamaica
- Kuwait
- Iceland
- Malawi
- Vietnam
- Dominican Republic
- Cuba
- Congo
- Korea
- China
- Malaysia
- Paraguay
- Benin
- Venezuela
- Liechtenstein
- Nigeria
- Namibia
- South Africa
- Iran
- Luxembourg
- Statements by United Nations entities
- Statements by Non-Governmental Organizations
- Statements by Permanent Observers and other Intergovernmental Organizations with Observers Status
- A – Webcast
- Presidential Statement
- Newsroom
- Media Accreditation at United Nations Headquarters ( Download Press Accreditation Form )
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- United Nations News on the Global Food Crisis
- News from United Nations Specialized Agencies, Funds and Programmes
- Media contacts for the Special Meeting on Global Food Crisis
- Mr. Newton Kanhema
Development Section/Communication Campaigns Service
Department of Public Information
Tel: +1-212-963-5602
Email: @email - Mr. Paul Simon
Associate Programme Officer
Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Tel: +1 (917) 367-5027
E-mail: @email
- Mr. Newton Kanhema
- Documentation
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - FAO
- Crops Prospects and Food Situation – FAO, April 2008
- Fighting Food Inflation – European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and FAO, 10 March 2008
- Growing Demand on Agriculture and Rising Prices of Commodities: An Opportunity for Smallholders in Low-Income, Agricultural-Based Countries? – FAO, 14 February 2008
- Current World Fertilizer Trends and Outlook to 2011/12 – FAO, 2008
- World Food Programme - WFP
- World Bank
- United Nations Environment Programme - UNEP
- Agriculture and Environment: Climate Change Challenges and Policy Options (English, French, Spanish)
- Website on bio-energy
- Farmers and the Future of Agro-biodiversity
- Agriculture, Agro-Biodiversity and Climate Change
- Investing in Agriculture and Agro-biodiversity
- Agricultural innovations and their impact on agro-biodiversity
- Biofuels and agro-biodiversity
- Governance and Agriculture
- United Nations Energy
- UNICEF
- United Nations Conference on Trade and Development - UNCTAD
- United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination – CEB
- Additional Internet Links
- United Nations Secretary-General's Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis
- Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food – Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - FAO
- International Fund for Agricultural Development - IFAD
- International Monetary Fund - IMF
- International Food Policy Research Institute – IFPRI
- United Nations Development Programme - UNDP
- Food price crisis, World Bank
- World Food Programme - WFP
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - FAO
- Contact us
- For inquiries regarding the event, please contact:
- Ms. Leslie Wade
Senior Economic Affairs Officer
Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Tel: +1 (212) 963-4420
E-mail: @email - Mr. Ajit Yogasundram
Programme Officer
Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Tel: +1 (212) 963-5737
E-mail: @email
- Ms. Leslie Wade
- For inquiries regarding registration and press, please contact:
- Mr. Paul Simon
Associate Programme Officer
Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Tel: +1 (917) 367-5027
E-mail: @email
- Mr. Paul Simon
- For inquiries regarding the event, please contact: