I.MAJOR TRENDS AND POLICIES IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE (continued)
I.PRINCIPALES TENDANCES ET POLITIQUES EN MATIERE D'ALIMENTATION.ET D'AGRICULTURE (suite)
I.PRINCIPALES TENDENCIASY POLITICAS EN LA AGRICULTURA Y.ALIMENTACION (continuación)

KASSAYE DERESEH (Ethiopia): The Ethiopian Delegation has gone through the document "The Critical Situation in Africa", which is very well documented and clearly outlined by the Secretariat on the current African food and agriculture situation. I, therefore, would like to indicate our due regards to the Secretariat and its staff for their contributions in preparing such an informative document.

In general I do not have much to say in elaboration of the document, as it was clearly indicated that Africa continues to be faced with economic and financial difficulties of major proportion and complexity. The devastating effects of the drought have underlined the limited resource base. However, I should like to give an account of the Ethiopian situation in brief.

Ethiopia is one of the two countries hardest hit by the drought in Africa. The prospects for some of these countries are favourable and are indicated as being normal, or even surplus in a few countries. However, some still need exceptional massive assistance, one of which is Ethiopia .

In the last three years drought was most disastrous. It was during these years that hundreds of thousands of people failed to harvest even a single crop; much livestock perished, causing death and displacement of people.

As has been indicated in paragraph 24 of the document, this year the weather has been favourable in most parts of the country. However, the agricultural activities were hampered by several adverse factors in many regions,including the famine-struck areas. There was a critical shortage of improved seeds, oxen, fertilizer and pesticides. In addition, in some areas, even if everything was quite all right for the growth and development of crops, the problem of pest outbreaks and hailstorm damage appeared to be serious.

The food prospect in the pastoral areas is as bad as in the cropping areas, especially in the pastoral areas of the northern regions because of lack of rain. Since the pastoralists have lost their cattle, it will take a long time to recover fully and to become self-sufficient in food.

As everyone knows, rain alone does not determine production. The land must be prepared ahead of time, and there must be adequate seed, drought animals, implements, fertilizer, pesticides, etc. in the country. These were the major bottlenecks when this year's main season started, particularly in those regions affected by famine. As a result of this situation, production prospects did not improve much and the market situation did not change. The country is still not expected to produce enough. Existing food shortages will continue for the remainder of 1985 and 1986. Hence the crisis will continue. Emergency assistance for the remaining part of 1985 and 1986 is required and this could be a short-term programme alleviating some problems.. We would like to indicate our commitment to and determination in the development of agriculture and food self-sufficiency as a measure for a long-term solution.

For Ethiopia to break out successfully from its recurrent cycles of drought and their appalling effects on the people concerned, massive investment is needed in programmes of rehabilitation and development, such as agricultural input of packages, soil and water conservation,

afforestation, irrigation, water supply, resettlement and restocking, etc. Although it is expected that the number of people who will be affected may increase this year, first reports of our early warning system have indicated that 5.8 million people will need emergency assistance in 1986. This number may change if any abnormalities occur in the country.

It is in this context that we should like to see the coordinated efforts of the international community for the agricultural rehabilitation programme of Ethiopia which was prepared with the assistance of FAO and was presented to donors on January 30, 1985, and which will have a role in achieving some of our aspired objectives.

Our due regards to those international organizations and countries who responded favourably to this request and we should like to indicate our interest in seeing more responses to those projects which are not yet covered. At the same time, we should also like to see some adjustments made by Member countries which are faced with projects that are responded to by other countries in considering the other agricultural rehabilitation projects.

I am sure that the problems of agriculture and food production are not beyond the means and knowhow of the international community if a joint and coordinated effort is directed towards solving these problems to liquidate hunger and starvation from the face of the earth.

A. RODRIGUES PIRES (Cap-Vert): Ma délégation est très heureuse, Monsieur le Président, que vous présidiez la session de travail de cette très importante Commission et nous affrontons maintenant le document très important sur la situation critique en Afrique. D'emblée, permettez-moi de remercier vivement le Directeur général de la FAO, M. Saouma, de la présentation magistrale qu'il a faite ce matin et de son intervention très claire.

L'Afrique a besoin d'une aide qui guérit le mal et non celle que marque la douleur sans agir sur les causes ayant engendré ce mal. Je soutiens, j'appuie la déclaration du Ministre du Congo à la plénière. Comme l'a dit le Directeur général l'aide alimentaire est certes très importante mais le redressement de notre économie particulièrement l'économie agricole en est la base; c'est le futur de la sécurité alimentaire en Afrique.

D'emblée, je me permets de dire que notre délégation est tout à fait d'accord avec les propositions de ce document C 85/20 car elles reflètent les préoccupations majeures de la dernière réunion ministérielle des pays africains à Harare, la fameuse Déclaration de Harare, et elle a répondu également aux préoccupations des chefs d'Etat lors du dernier sommet de l'OUA à Addis-Abeba. Par conséquent, nous constatons avec beaucoup de plaisir que la FAO et son Directeur général suivent comme toujours les problèmes africains de très près et tiennent compte des préoccupations des dirigeants et responsables africains.

A notre avis, c'est un point extrêmement important. J'ai très bien dit que les initiatives de l'OUA ont été prises en considération par le Directeur général de la FAO. Nous voulons aussi soulever un point très important, c'est l'étude de la situation agricole et alimentaire du continent africain menée par la FAO qui a tenu compte des préoccupations de nos pays et de nos dirigeants.

La délégation de mon pays attache beaucoup d'importance au sommet de l'OUA. Elle pense que ce sommet, unique en son genre, a démontré à l'opinion publique internationale la conscience politique de nos dirigeants africains, des responsables africains, mais aussi exhorte sans doute l'opinion internationale par les voies multilatérale et bilatérale à apporter une juste aide, pas simplement l'aide alimentaire mais l'aide agricole en moyens de production, en formation et c'est là où nous pensons que la FAO, qui a toujours joué un rôle important, doit continuer à étendre l'aide de l'Organisation.

Vous savez qu'il y a eu un projet de résolution qui a été présenté à New York à l'Assemblée générale des Nations Unies par le Groupe africain. La résolution demande que l'Assemblée générale organise une session spéciale sur la situation économique alimentaire en Afrique à moyen et long terme. Ma délégation tient à affirmer que,tenant compte de l'expérience unique de la FAO en ce qui concerne l'alimentation et l'agriculture, que notre Organisation doit non seulement être associée, mais doit jouer un rôle décisif pendant la préparation et l'exécution des objectifs prévus sur l'Afrique.

Nous tenons aussi à dire, comme l'a dit mon collègue du Congo , que le Groupe africain a présenté à cette auguste assemblée une résolution sur la situation critique de l'alimentation en Afrique. Nous demandons à tous nos amis d'appuyer cette résolution.

Permettez-moi de dire quelques mots sur la situation dans mon pays. Dans ce document on a cité le Cap-Vert comme l'un des pays qui déjà aura besoin d'une aide alimentaire d'urgence.

Je tiens à affirmer que notre pays, le Cap-Vert, est frappé par une sécheresse malheureusement sans précédent dans son histoire, et que nous avons demandé au Directeur général de la FAO d'envoyer dans les meilleurs délais une mission de professionnels agricoles. Nous sommes très heureux et remercions d'une réponse prompte la FAO. Cette mission est un acheminement vers le Cap-Vert et donnera un rapport détaillé de la situation de la production agricole en général et fournira les éléments nécessaires à la FAO et aux pays amis, pour faire face à la situation où le Cap-Vert se trouve. Avant de terminer, j'aimerais bien appuyer ce qu'a dit mon collègue du Congo en ce qui concerne la situation en Afrique australe, particulièrement dans les pays voisins de l'Afrique du Sud qui malgré leurs efforts et leur volonté politique sont attaqués, dont les frontières sont continuellement violées par le régime de l’apartheid. Nous voulons que cette Commission prenne note que lorsqu'un pays est constamment attaqué et violé, il doit protéger ses frontières et ne peut pas se consacrer uniquement à son agriculture. J'aimerais bien attirer l'attention de cette assemblée sur ce point important et appuyer sans réserve ce qu'a dit l'honorable délégué du Congo .

Srta. D. de VILLAMONTE (Panamá): Permítame manifestarle que a nuestra delegación le complace verle presidir nuestros debates. De igual manera, señor Presidente, felicitamos a la Secretaría por la elaboración del documento sometido a nuestra consideración así como al Director General por la presentación del tema y por la movilización que realiza en la búsqueda de soluciones a la crisis africana.

La delegación de Panamá, al revisar el documento C 85/20 relativo a la evolución de la situación de la alimentación y la agricultura en Africa, desea manifestar su complacencia con los señalamientos favorables en cuanto al estado de emergencia en los países afectados al Sur del Sahara.

Diversos párrafos del mismo, indican que el abastecimiento de alimentos ha mejorado considerablemente y que en muchos de los 21 países se ha vuelto a la normalidad.

A la vez que felicitamos a los gobiernos y pueblos de Africa por el esfuerzo realizado, debemos hacer un aparte para la Organización que con tanto esmero y dedicación ha contribuido a este mejo‐ramiento, así como a los países donantes por su buena voluntad y pronta respuesta.

En diversas ocasiones, al analizar este tema, hemos considerado necesaria y urgente la ayuda alimen‐taria de emergencia, y como una fórmula para mejorar y aliviar la situación. Sin embargo, deseamos reiterar nuestra posición de que, paralelamente a la misma, es indispensable que la crisis se enfrente con medidas a largo plazo, y tendientes a solucionar de raíz los problemas estructurales que aquejan a esa región del continente africano.

En tal sentido, deseamos resaltar los aspectos recogidos en el punto sexto del documento C 85/20, titulado: "Iniciativas recientes de la Organización de la Unidad Africana y la FAO", en especial los párrafos 50, 51 y 52 que plantean los esfuerzos que se realizan, tanto a nivel de la Organización Regional como en el de la FAO, a fin de lograr la autosuficiencia alimentaria del continente; esfuerzos que también deben encaminarse, como se sugiere en el párrafo 119 en el documento C 85/2, a prestar asistencia para que el Africa vecina adopte modelos propios de desarrollo, basados en las culturas e historia africanas y ajustados a las condiciones del Continente.

Observamos también que el análisis que nos presenta la Secretaría, tanto en el documento C 85/20 como en el C 85/2, existen otros factores que afectan y que han hecho más difícil la situación interna del Africa. Los bajos precios de las exportaciones tradicionales, los elevados tipos de interés para el pago de la deuda, y el estancamiento de la afluencia de recursos financieros en condiciones de favor, han traído como consecuencia, un deterioro del rendimiento agrícola de la Región y han también contribuido a su disminución.

Cierto. es, señor Presidence, que la Declaración de Harare de 1984, reconoce que los gobiernos africanos son los responsables del desarrollo agrícola de sus pueblos, y por lo tanto, toca a los propios países africanos prever las medidas tendientes al mejoramiento de este sector. Sin embargo, igualmente la Comunidad Internacional tiene su parte de responsabilidad y se hace imperativo que la enfrente mediante la aplicación de medidas que permitan la realización de un cambio en las relaciones Norte/Sur, así como un deseo manifiesto y conjunto en el que predomine el espíritu de la cooperación, la justicia y la equidad, que facilite un progreso coordinado de la producción y la recuperación económica.

J. STONE (Canada): The economic figures presented by the Director-General do not give a promising picture for the future of Africa, in spite of the turnaround of the food harvests in most African countries this year. As has been pointed out by the World Bank, the Economic Commission for Africa and other bodies, if the present trends continue, per capita income in Africa will continue to decline well into the next century. Though the emergency in Africa is not over, better harvests this year have given some room to manoeuvre. Now is the time to prepare for long-term recovery.

There are good signs for hope in that African governments have drawn up several regional plans for action which recognize the linkage of many elements which have to be combined to reverse the present situation. In particular, the recent OAU Summit made several very positive recommendations to be taken by African governments themselves, including increased investment in agriculture. Similarly, developed countries have responded generously, both bilaterally and multilaterally. Overall, in 1985/86, Canada's total ODA to Africa will reach $850 million, and Canada has contributed $100 million to the World Bank's Special Facility. Total ODA to Sub-Saharen Africa has reached 5 percent of the GNP of that region in recent years.

I will keep my intervention short. Africa still is in a dangerous situation, both on a human and an economic level. As much as Africa's agony has been a consequence of climactic and ecological phenomena, as much as the response must include heavy flows of investment and other measures of a national and international character. We understand both the problems and the ultimate solutions to be preeminently structural. Climatic downturns will come and go, and flows of international assistance may well remain uneven, but unless we build effective policies and institutions focussed on the medium- to long-term, we may have to resign ourselves to endless ad hoc emergency responses.

In the interests of brevity, I would like to concentrate on two aspects of this structural problem, that of coordination, and that of national policy leadership.

Already there exist many plans of action for African development formulated by many organizations.' Many of these plans have substantial funds. I reinforce the calls of many interventions in the plenary by calling for closer and improved coordination among all these different plans and funds which are, after all, geared to tackling essentially the same problem. Such a coordination would have the triple benefits of reducing duplication, encouraging a synogistic and mutually reinforcing cooperation, and providing a necessary focus of action. In particular the FAO should work more closely with other agencies under the aegis of the UNDP round tables, and the World Bank Consultative Group, as well as with bilateral donors. Similarly, at a time of scarce resources throughout the world, this type of approach will result in a substantial improvement of aid delivery, which could be effectively coupled with African nations. Needless to say, aid and assistance must complement national policy and be integrated into country development plans.

Canada has already put its money where its mouth is. We have contributed to better coordination through support of the UNDP round tables, the World Bank Consultative Groups and contributions to the Office of Emergency Operations for Africa. These organisms serve as the good example of better coordination, but more remains to be done either through strengthening these units or reinforcing established UN agencies to better handle the coordinating role for African long-term development.

The Canadian Prime Minister, Mr Brian Mulroney, is featured in the current FAO publication "CERES". This focus is on the development of a coherent domestic policy framework within developing countries which would reinforce and maximize existing resources and provide a rational framework for development. Whether these policy developments are in agricultural price policies, or in

re-thinking national subsidy programmes, this is not a new approach, but one which is gaining currency. The FAO could well play a substantial role in providing such advice on this policy matter. Of course, such policy development is ultimately the responsibility of African governments, as they have well recognized.

These two themes, long-term better .aid coordination and improved and coherent national policy are important, and if conscientiously followed would do much to help Africa help itself in the difficult years ahead.

I am pleased to report that the Canadian Minister for External Relations has just announced that we will contribute an additional $250 000 to the United Nations Office for Emergency Operations in Africa This is in addition to over $1 million in contributions to the United Nations coordination effort in Africa since the beginning of the crisis.

D. DANG MEKOULA (Cameroun): La délégation du Cameroun se joint à son tour à tous les orateurs qui l'ont précédée et exprime sa profonde compassion à la délégation colombienne pour la catas‐trophe qui vient de frapper cruellement son peuple. Nous espérons que devant cette dure épreuve la communauté internationale ne tardera pas à réagir de façon prompte pour venir en aide aux populations sinistrées.

M. le Président, je serai bref. Puisque la délégation camerounaise prend la parole pour la première fois au sein de cette commission, je me fais un devoir de vous adresser nos vives félicitations pour votre élection.

Nous nous félicitons de l'excellente présentation du sujet soumis au débat par le Directeur général qui, par une analyse concise mais très fouillée, donne une image claire du drame alimentaire dans ses différentes composantes que vit l'Afrique.

L'étude du document dégage le haut niveau des responsabilités et la dimension des initiatives que la FAO a prises depuis près de dix ans pour sensibiliser à la fois la communauté internationale et les gouvernements africains sur les imminentes menaces de la dégradation du processus de la production alimentaire et agricole qui pesait sur la région et qui devait évoluer ces dernières années en une situation de crise qui nous préoccupe.

Beaucoup de délégués l'ont déjà souligné, la crise alimentaire que connaît actuellement notre région résulte certes de la sécheresse, mais procède surtout de la non-performance du secteur agricole, dont le poids sur nos économies est considérable.

La constante régression alimentaire enregistrée dans la plupart des cas est liée à une série de contraintes sociales, techniques et économiques qui, entre autres, apparaissent dans les systèmes de la gestion des terres et des eaux, dans l'inorganisation des structures de production et dans l'impact encore limité de la recherche agronomique sur l'appareil national de production alimentaire.

Il est établi que le secteur agricole occupe, en l'état actuel des choses, près de 80 pour cent' de la population active de la région, sinon plus, et, pour l'ensemble des pays concernés, 60 pour cent de la population totale vivent au-dessous du seuil de la pauvreté absolue.

Ces deux données simples dégagent l'image réelle de l'état de misère désolante et de la sous-alimentation qui reste le lot des masses.

Il est évident que cette année, du fait des conditions météorologiques favorables, les récoltes s'annoncent globalement bonnes; mais cette tendance de la reprise de la croissance de la production alimentaire se maintiendra-t-elle à plus long terme?

C'est pour cette raison que la délégation camerounaise appuie sans réserve le Programme de redressement de la culture en Afrique que la FAO a lancé. Nous nous félicitons des efforts louables déployés par le Directeur général en direction de la réalisation de ce programme qui a déjà bénéficié, comme on le sait, et dans des délais records, du support financier à partir de

ressources provenant des économies réalisées dans le budget ordinaire de l'Organisation, d'une part, et d'autre part, des concours des pays donateurs, des agences de financement, du système des Nations Unies, des organisations intergouvernementales et non gouvernementales, à qui nous tenons à exprimer nos sentiments de sincère gratitude pour cette prompte sollicitude.

Notre souhait est aue cet élan se maintienne et s'amplifie davantage car tout en reconnaissant la pertinence de l’aide alimentaire dans la situation difficile qui prévaut dans notre région, nous estimons que par cette approche la FAO et les donateurs ont confirmé l'idée que nous nous faisons de la sécurité alimentaire et qui consiste à considérer la réhabilitation des capacités productives au niveau des pays comme un préalable.

A ce sujet, notre délégation souhaite vivement que dans cette lancée la création, au niveau des pays, de stocks nationaux ou de stocks à vocation régionale de sécurité alimentaire, retienne l'attention de notre Conférence.

Mme L. OUEDRAOGO-GUIGMA (Burkina Faso): Permettez-moi d'abord, M. le Président, de féliciter le Secrétariat pour ce document bien présenté et de remercier le Directeur général pour tous les efforts qu'il fournit au profit de l'Afrique, notamment pour ses appels répétés depuis 1983 pour attirer l'attention de la communauté internationale sur la situation critique en Afrique.

La délégation va essayer d'être assez brève.

Nous sommes d'accord sur ce qui est dit dans le document, mais quelques remarques s'imposent; notamment, j'aurais deux petites remarques à faire: '

En ce qui concerne la page 8, paragraphe 26, ma délégation est d'accord pour ce qui est développé en ce qui concerne l'aide d'urgence, voire les problèmes hélas malheureux que l'on rencontre souvent dans la distribution de l'aide d'urgence dans les pays sinistrés, à telle enseigne que l'urgence de l'aide perd son sens. Et nous en arrivons souvent à des situations très fâcheuses.

Je voudrais donner l'exemple du Burkina Faso où, cette année, l'aide d'urgence a tellement traîné qu'elle est arrivée au moment même où les premières pluies tombaient, compliquant davantage l'ache‐minement des vivres vers les zones sinistrées du pays; et nous nous retrouvons en début de récolte (je précise que cette année par bonheur nous jouissons aussi de la bonne récolte) avec à la fois des vivres de l'aide d'urgence et des récoltes. Ce problème est assez important, surtout quand on sait aussi que se pose à nous un problème de stockage.

Le second point concerne la page 10 sur le programme même de redressement de l'Afrique ou plutôt le redressement de l'agriculture en Afrique. La délégation du Burkina Faso approuve et appuie ce programme de redressement dont son pays est bénéficiaire. Au Burkina, le gouvernement avait déià lancé un programme populaire de développement conçu à la fois dans le contexte d'une urgence découlant de la sécheresse, et dans le cadre d'une stratégie de développement planifiée à long ferme, indispensable pour aboutir à une économie indépendante et autosuffisante. Ce programme populaire,basé sur la participation active de populations à travers l'expression de leurs besoins et de leur propre mobilisation, est l'amorce d'une oeuvre de reconstruction et de développement dont l'agriculture est le modèle.

Aussi la délégation du Burkina Faso pense-t-elle que les efforts de réflexion pour la conception du programme de redressement de l'agriculture pour les 20 pays sinistrés de l'Afrique sont louables. Mais il faut maintenant que tout soit mis en oeuvre pour permettre l'exécution réelle et rapide de ces programmes. La réalisation, nous l'espérons, de ces programmes devrait permettre d'apporter un début de solution aux préoccupations premières des masses rurales, en particulier des produits agricoles.

Nous allons nous arrêter là en soutenant les idées développées par les délégations du Congo et du Cap-Vert, ainsi que ce qui concerne les pays de l'Afrique australe face à l’apartheid.

M.A. COMMINS (Australia\): We would like to join with others expressing to the Colombian Delegation our sorrow and deep regret over the calamity caused by the earthquake in their country.

The document before us today describes in graphic detail the gravity of the food and agricultural situation in Africa. It is a very real concern to all of us that in a little less than a decade Sub-Saharan African has moved from being an exporter of food to a significant net importer. Along with other related documents being discussed during the Conference, the paper outlines the main reasons for the crisis and generally prescribes what needs to be done to work towards overcoming it. In this regard, we are unable to associate ourselves with the general scenario advocated by the delegate from Czechoslovakia . Bearing in mind your request, time won't allow us to make a detailed rejoinder.

There are, of course, no easy solutions to the root causes of Africa's problems. We accept thatthey require a whole array of complex and often interrelated actions, both at national andinternational levels. As emphasized in the Lagos Plan of Action and the Harare Declaration,many of the agreed solutions to the crisis require special efforts and policy decisions by Africancountries themselves without recourse to external assistance, if the very worrying long-term declines in per capita food and agricultural production and per capita food consumption are tobe arrested. Favourable weather conditions will, of course, continue to be a major determinantin influencing the future level of agricultural production in Africa. This is strikingly illustratedby the substantial and very welcome recovery of food production in most of the 21 adversely affected countries.

As noted this morning by the Director-General in his excellent review, provisional FAO estimates indicate that these countries' food aid needs will be half of their 1984-85 level. Australia will exchange wheat for white maize in Zimbabwe to meet food aid needs in neighbouring countries. We are also investigating similar exchange arrangements with other food-surplus African countries, WFP is playing a major role in facilitating these transactions.

Australia is the only developed country with extensive areas of subtropical land and shares withAfrica many environmental features, including low rainfall, soil erosion, low fertility and waterstorage. In responding to Africa's needs, there are, of course, practical limits to what wecan do. While Australia will continue to respond to the immediate needs through emergency assistance, we see our best opportunity for bringing about change to long-term development through strengthenedmultilateral agencies and better coordination among the international donor community, notablythe World Bank, IDA and the World Food Programme. In 1985-86, Australia's bilateral assistanceprogramme to Africa will be directed to those sectors, particularly in the area of food security in which Australia has a particular capacity to contribute. In this way, we hope to maximizethe impact of our assistance in improving the food situation by rehabilitating agriculturein Africa.

Sra. G. SOTO CARRERO (Cuba): Quisiera en primer lugar, Sr. Presidente a nombre de la delegación de Cuba, aunque ya lo hemos hecho personalmente al gobierno, expresar nuestra condolencia al pueblo de Colombia por la catástrofe natural que lo azota.

Mi delegación ha analizado con gran interés el documento C 85/20 que nos ha preparado la Secretaría a fin de actualizarnos en lo que se refiere a la presente situación alimentaria en Africa y que el Director General nos presentara en la mañana de hoy con suma claridad.

Según se expresa en el Capitalo II del documento, los países en desarrollo de Africa siguen afron‐tando dificultades económicas y financieras de grandes proporciones y complejidad, calificándose de modesta y de escaso relieve la recuperación del crecimiento de la producción y los ingresos deri‐vados de las exportaciones conseguidos en 1984, si se compara con la grave situación sufrida desde 1981 hasta 1983.

Asimismo la falta de divisas y lo elevado de la deuda externa que a corto plazo en los países afri‐canos en desarrollo ha aumentado de unos 10.400 millones de dólares en 1980 a 18.300 millones en 1984, unido a la imposición de las restricciones a las importaciones, han afectado a los progra‐mas de inversión y a las subvenciones de bienes de consumo y los medios de producción.

Mi delegación apoya todas las acciones que se tomen en favor de solucionar la situación económica y alimentaria del continente africano, lo cual incluye, como es lógico, la rehabilitación de su agricultura, y a lo cual Cuba ha contribuido de acuerdo con sus modestas posibilidades, pero con un alto espíritu solidario. La responsabilidad de la humanidad con el continente africano es total, específicamente aquellos que tienen una gran responsabilidad histórica en el atraso de ese continente al que han sometido a siglos de explotación y saqueo de sus valiosos recursos naturales, y a prácticas de colonialismo, racismo y apartheid.

Quisiera expresar la complacencia de mi delegación por la forma en que se está llevando a cabo la labor de la FAO en la rehabilitación de la agricultura africana en estrecha coordinación con los gobiernos de los países necesitados. Consideramos que el reconocimiento que Africa le da a la FAO por el liderazgo que tiene para implementar sus proyectos de rehabilitación de la agricultura y para coordinar los programas de esta materia, en los cuales no existe otra experiencia organizada y acu‐mulada en un cuerpo especializado de funcionarios como tiene la FAO para paliar una situación crítica como la de Africa, es muy acertado.

Mi delegación expresa su apoyo a los cuatro aspectos prioritarios que se señalan en el párrafo 30 del documento y que han sido identificados por la FAO y por los gobiernos africanos. Estamos convencidos de que como expresara el Director General en la reunión sobre la Rehabilitación de la Agricultura en Africa además de semillas y herramientas, los hombres y mujeres debilitados que producen los alimentos prefieren los incentivos derivados de una política de equidad.

K.N. ARDHANAREESWARAN (India): At the outset, we should like to associate ourselves with the sentiments expressed in this Commission with the tragedy in Colombia . We should like to express our most sincere sympathies to the Colombian delegation in their hour of distress.

I should like to congratulate the Director-General on his lucid introduction this morning. He has given a graphic account of the situation in Africa and also of the steps taken by FAO to relieve distress and to rehabilitate the agricultural system in the African continent.

African countries are faced with a number of structural problems. There are also infrastructure problems. Problems of debt and terms of trade are before them. Their export earnings are stagnant. Their exports are affected by the protectionism practiced by a number of countries. In this context, it is necessary to have a massive investment programme in African agriculture. They require not only international assistance, but also international understanding. Their exports will have to be given special treatment. They will have to be given preferential treatment so that they can improve their export earnings. The structural problems faced by the African countries should be sorted out before any meaningful scheme for rehabilitation of agriculture in the African continent is worked out.

There are short-term and long-term approaches to this problem. In the short-term, the approach should be to relieve distress and also to avoid starvation. It is necessary to see that the immediate distress is taken care of and that there is no starvation. In the long run, it is necessary to rehabilitate agriculture. The rehabilitation planned should concentrate more on food production through small and marginal farmers. They are vulnerable sections and they should be given necessary assistance to improve their production and productivity. It is also necessary to take action to improve and conserve resources in the form of soil and water. Infrastructure facilities have to be built.

It is also necessary to build up institutions in the African countries which can take up work relating to the' distribution of agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. Agricultural research institutions also should be developed. There is a need for active research, because the information available in the research stations should be suitably modified, should be suitably adapted, so that it becomes relevant to the African situation. It is also necessary to provide proper training of experts and also managers in the agricultural field. Without proper training, it would not be possible to take up any meaningful programme for rehabilitation of agriculture in the African continent.

I would also suggest that we should take proper price support measures and procurement operations. Unless the producer is assured of a remunerative price, he will not have the incentive to improve agricultural production or productivity.

We are confident that food aid can play a crucial role in improving the agricultural situation in the African continent. My delegation would urge that food aid should be used judiciously. If it is not used properly, food aid has the potential of destroying the agricultural system there. It can also destroy the institutions. Therefore we would urge that food aid should be used more judiciously for development purposes and also for building up infrastructure facilities and institutions.

I should like briefly to mention the assistance provided by the government of India to the African countries. We have a long history of close collaboration with the African countries. In the past five years, we have trained 139 African experts in various disciplines in agriculture. Out of these 139, 95 were trained to FAO programmes. We have deputed 76 experts in different agricultural fields to develop institutions to develop infrastructure facilities in the African countries. Our Prime Minister has already announced a gift of 100 000 tons of wheat to the five worst affected African countries. In July 1985, at the time of the OAU Summit, our Prime Minister announced an additional gift of wheat to the value of 120 million rupees. In the agricultural rehabilitation programme prepared by the FAO, we have chosen to depute 67 experts in 12 fields of agricultural development. These programmes are being finalized and we hope that our experts will reach the African countries in the near future.

My Minister, in his statement before the Plenary, gave an assurance that all our facilities in the training institutions, in agricultural universities, would be available to the experts and also managers from the African countries. They can make use of the facilities, and we would

welcome their involvement in our training programmes and facilities. We are also planning to set up a national institute for disaster management. We feel that we have sufficient experience in managing drought and floods and other natural calamities. We feel that our experience in disaster management will be relevant to the African countries. We have also attempted a drought-proofing of our agraduiture, and our experience in this field is at the disposal of the African countries. We would welcome their sending their experts or their people concerned with drought management to our national institutes so that they can study our experience and profit from it.

We would once again like to congratulate the Director-General on his active interest in the rehabilitation of agriculture. We would fully endorse the document C 85/20 and in particular Section 5 and Section 6, dealing with the agricultural rehabilitation programme in Africa and the recent initiatives by OAU and FAO.

J.R. GOLDSACK (United Kingdom): First of all, the delegation of the United Kingdom wishes tobe associated with the Chairman's expression of sympathy to the government and people of Colombia .

The welcome return to more normal climatic conditions over much of Africa in 1985 must not be allowed to divert attention from the problems of food production that lie ahead. While population growth over the last 10-15 years in Africa has frequently been in excess of 3 percent per annum, per capita food production has been increasing only at a rate of between 1-2 percent per annum. World Bank projections suggest that the population in Sub-Saharan Africa will eventually stabilize at a level between five and eight times the current size; clearly even the lower of these estimates or indeed even half the lower estimate presents an alarming prospect for those responsible for ensuring food supply.

It is important that the international community is fully aware of the implications of this. Current studies undertaken by FAO on the relationship between land capability and population suggest that by the turn of the century a number of countries, including some unlikely to have any export earning potential, will go into permanent food deficit. Clearly, we have to start work now if we are to avert a further series of human catastrophes. The remarkable success of the green revolution in Asia and the Sub-Continent depends not only on fertilizer and improved varieties, but the availability of water. Apart from a few highly favoured areas, exploitable water resources in Africa are simply not sufficient to enable us to replicate the green revolution on that continent.

For the revival of fortunes in Africa, and in the longer-term in parts of Asia, we must therefore look to rainfed agriculture. At present our collective knowledge of the means of development of the semi-arid zones is inadequate. Research over the past 20 years has not come up with proven packages which will enable these areas to provide a sustainable and adequate living for their population and it is questionable whether they can carry greatly increased populations. There is a pressing need to support and revitalize basic and adaptive research in these areas and we consider that FAO should use its data base to help identify those sectors in which research might yield rewards. Meanwhile, we consider that effort should be concentrated on increasing production in the. areas of higher potential. Provided incentives are maintained, this should lead to an increase in food production, but to be effective and provide a measure of food security, storage and distribution problems have to be tackled at the same time.

Africa's diversity makes generalizations on priorities difficult, whether in terms of priorities for countries or ecological zones. Comparative advantage has to be exploited and this generally lies with tree crops in humid zones, annual food and non-food crops in sub-humid zones, adapted cropping in the more favoured semi-arid areas, and livestock in less favoured semi-arid and arid zones. Understandably, at present the emphasis is on food crops, but it would be unwise to neglect the value or importance of the role that cash crops can play in national economies and in providing foreign exchange to purchase additional food.

Development of the fragile ecologies of the arid and semi-arid zones has to be a cautious and sensitive process. Plans to increase food production in the short-term should not be made at the expense of long-term environmental stability. Multi-purpose forestry is likely to play an important role in the long-term development of these areas. We believe that FAO has the knowledge and expertise to help countries develop these zones in an appropriate manner and we hope such work will be given high priority in the programme.

We all await with interest FAO's in-depth study of the agricultural and food problems in Africa proposed by the Director-General at the Thirteenth FAO Regional Conference for Africa held at Harare in 1984 and referred to by the Director-General in his address this morning. We believe that the problems in Africa have been caused by a number of complicated social, climatic, economic and technical problems. We firmly believe that development aid and technical assistance can help lessen some of these problems, but in common with many African countries themselves, we recognize that the first step down the road to improved productivity is the adoption of sensible economic policies which provide incentives for the agricultural sector. Without these . policies increased resources for agriculture will not resolve the present problems.

H. BAR-SHAI (Israel): First of all, I would like to express the sympathy and condolances of myself and the people of Israel to our Colombian colleagues, and to the people of Colombia on the terrible catastrophe that has befallen them. May this be the last of all disasters! Our Government will no doubt extend all possible help, as has always been our tradition.

And now to the matter in hand. The Director-General should be praised for his relentless efforts and initiatives in this respect. As we all know, and without entering into too many details, help from Israel was extended to the hungry people of Africa during the last drought. More help could have been given, but for reasons beyond the control of Israel . As has been mentioned the world should try to rebuild, and to prepare for another cycle of drought in order to reduce, if not prevent, its harsh effects. Again, the Secretariat should be commended for their excellent suggestions and plans as mentioned in document C 85/20.

Israel has dedicated some thought and research recently concerning this problem. We have been researching, for example, into the utilization of camel's milk. This research is being carried out in the Negev University in Beersheva. It turns out that camel's milk is a concentrated food rich in vitamins, and durable; it may have several curative characteristics, and may be produced under quite difficult conditions. Also in Israel there is a project for integrated development assistance for sub-Sahelean districts which are suffering from famine distress. The main objectives of the project devised by the Centre for Agricultural Development and Cooperation in Israel are to design and manage an integrated programme for an improved food aid delivery system linked to land and water resource development, and the provision of basic health and community services.

The strategy is to reduce bulk food aid by manufacturing a food concentrate that can providea food supplement of 1500 to 18,00 calories and 400 grammes intake per capita per day in thesub-region designated for development; secondly, to create a multipurpose service centre toprovide for primary health and basic nutrition training; thirdly to develop surface and groundwater resources in order to provide safe drinking water and the possibility of growing crop grainsfor eventual inclusion and utilization in this food concentrate; fourthlymaterial by undertaking adaptive research and to establish a seed multiplication farm; fifthly,to embark on a reafforestation programme and establish a grass-roots extension programme linkedto the supply of critical inputs for improved crop production. The required investment forthe setting up of production and other facilities within this plan, as well as planning of technicalassistance, is estimated at a cost of about $11 million per programme, about half of whichis for the setting up and supply of the food concentrate for 20,000 people over a two-yearperiod. It is estimated that a. period of three to four years is required for the executionof such a project.

Recipient governments are required, broadly speaking, to have joint identification and endorsement of the sub-region for the proposed action programme, full participation of technical and popular levels, land allocation for the proposed projects, the sale of concentrate food packs at fixed cost prices, support of community participatory reafforestation and conservation programmes. The expected benefits are the provision of acceptable nutritional intakes for at least 10,000 families, the creation of an international market demand for about 10,000 tons of grain equivalent of indigenous crop production, a successful food aid delivery system which may open new approaches to the problem of assisting famine stricken sub-regions, the introduction of partially irrigated areas totalling about 1,000 hectares of rain-fed crops. Over a three or four year period, 5,000 to 7,000 hectares of degraded land can be revegeta-ted and ameliorated; and the improvement of basic services, particularly and primarily health care, will make the sub-region self-sustaining with less dependence on emergency famine aid. We have already some proposals for manufacturing concentrated food, and there have been favourable comments on the quality of it.

As will be known, we now have first-class knowhow to execute plans of this kind. Being a small nation, to make a project materialize we need the cooperation of international bodies. We hope to get the cooperation of FAO as well as certain other countries to help us in making these plans materialize. Maybe the greatest reward for our modest contribution will be when we see that people in drought stricken areas are themselves able to get out of their misery through international cooperation.

Mlle L. AVON (France): La France s'associe aux sentiments de sympathie exprimés à la délégation de la Colombie. Elle fera tout ce qui est dans ses moyens pour aider la Colombie dans cette circonstance dramatique. Comme vous l'avez demandé, mon intervention sera brève, d'autant plus que la France, par la voix du Président de la République, a exprimé son analyse de la situation, ses convictions et ses propres actions pour contribuer à la résolution de difficultés auxquelles sont confrontés les pays africains. Je mentionnerai seulement, à titre de rappel et comme principale de ces difficultés, les contraintes extérieures qui pèsent sur les économies des pays en développement et particulièrement sur ceux de l'Afrique. Le niveau trop élevé des taux d'intérêts, l'anarchie des échanges internationaux et la montée du protectionnisme, l'effondrement des cours des matières premières. Prenant bien la mesure de telles contraintes pour des pays qui, accablés par le poids de leur dette, voient s'effriter leurs recettes d'exportation, je citerai seulement pour illustrer la gravité de cette évolution l'exemple du coton fibre dont le prix au kilo est passé de 14 fr. à moins de 8 fr. En cette période où le fonctionnement des accords internationaux de produits est durement éprouvé, il serait bien nécessaire que tous ceux qui en ont été les artisans ou les défenseurs redoublent d'efforts pour que l'équité et la solidarité l'emportent sur l'égoisme et le repliement sur soi. L'Afrique est concernée au premier chef par les difficultés que je viens de mentionner, mais à celles-ci s'ajoutent les séquelles de la situation dramatique dont la communauté internationale a pris conscience.avec encore plus d'acuité l'année dernière. Nous ne devons pas nous y tromper. La famine qu'ont connue les pays sahéliens et l'Afrique australe n'était pas seulement un phénomène conjoncturel. Elle a été un révélateur des difficultés structurelles que connaissent des systèmes agricoles de ces pays. Aussi devons-nous nous réjouir de ce que l'année 1985-86 s'annonce plus favorable pour les récoltes dans la plupart des pays touchés. Nous ne devons en aucun cas considérer que les problèmes sont résolus.

Monsieur le Directeur général l'a fortement rappelé ce matin en ouvrant les travaux de cette commission. Le répit de cette année doit être mis à profit pour relancer réellement les agricultures. Bien entendu, de nombreuses preuves d'action sont déjà en cours. Les pays africains eux-mêmes prennent en charge ce problème en donnant complètement la priorité au développement agricole par la définition de politiques souvent orientées vers l’autosuffisance alimentaire. Les pays donateurs aussi appuient ces politiques par des aides appropriées, même si l'on peut regretter que le niveau de ces aides soit encore insuffisant.

Il y a quelques jours, le Conseil des ministres du développement des Communautés européennes a approuvé les orientations d'un plan de réhabilitation et de relance de l'agriculture pour l'Afrique qui devrait mobiliser 200 millions d'écus de la Communauté et de ses Etats Membres. Par ailleurs, je rappelle que plus des trois quarts du dixième du Fonds de développement depuis la troisième Conférence de Lomé seront consacrés aussi au développement rural.

La France, comme l'a rappelé le Président de la République,accorde et continuera à le faire, une priorité dans son aide au développement, aux actions de développement rural, à la recherche appliquée, à l'agriculture et à la formation. L'ensemble de ces actions constitue l'essentiel de l'aide de la France à l'Afrique qui s'élève à plus de 10 milliards de francs.

Pour l'avenir, il nous paraît essentiel que notre action, celle des donateurs bilatéraux comme celle des organisations multilatérales, se renforcent en étant guidées me semble-t-il par trois impératifs: tout d'abord, et d'autres orateurs l'ont mentionné, une coordination non seulement entre les donateurs, mais aussi, et je dirai surtout, avec les pays africains qui seuls sont responsables des politiques qu'ils définissent et qu'ils mettent en oeuvre.

Deuxièmement une augmentation des flux d'aide,qu'il s'agisse de l'aide bilatérale ou de l'aide multilatérale, une augmentation qui corresponde réellement pour chacun de nos pays à un effort en fonction de nos propres richesses.

Troisièmement, la recherche incessante d'une adéquation aussi parfaite que possible entre les besoins aux moments et aux lieux où ils se révèlent et la réponse de l'aide internationale.

A cet égard, je voudrais insister, comme l'a fait ce matin le Directeur général, sur l'importance qui s'attache aujourd'hui à aider les pays africains excédentaires à écouler leur production dans de bonnes conditions, à gérer leurs stocks. Sans cela nous serions conduits à accepter ce cycle infernal dela famine ou de l'aide d'urgence qui, pour résoudre des problèmes immédiats, ne ferait qu'aggraver la situation des populations. L'Afrique a de grandes capacités. Il est de notre responsabilité et même de notre intérêt d'être auprès d'elle, avec elle pour que toutes ces possibilités puissent pleinement se développer.

J.E. MENDES FERRÃO (Portugal) : M. le Président, ma délégation et moi-même nous associons à votre expression de sentiments pour la catastrophe qui s'est abattue sur le peuple colombien.

D'autre part, je vous félicite pour votre élection à la présidence de cette Commission et je me réjouis de vous voir diriger nos travaux en connaisseur profond des problèmes de l'Afrique en souffrance.

Il y a longtemps que nous suivons avec une vive préoccupation la grave situation de carence alimen‐taire où l'Afrique a vécu depuis quelques années. Nous-mêmes, lors des contacts professionnels que nous avons avec quelques pays de ce continent, nous avons été témoins de situations véritablement dramatiques que des personnes vivant dans les pays développés, ayant à leur disposition tous les aliments nécessaires et tout l'argent pour les acquérir, peuvent difficilement imaginer.

Mais le continent africain traverse actuellement une période de profonde transformation, dans les domaines les plus divers, et ces modifications provoquent des désajustements, des crises alimentaires, des perturbations dans la circulation des produits, l'instabilité politique et sociale, préjudiciable à la fixation des populations et au développement du secteur productif.

Cette situation a été encore aggravée par des sécheresses anormalement prolongées, ou par des inon‐dations catastrophiques qui entravent le développement des cultures, ou les détruisent. L'absence de moyens pour l'utilisation de pesticides se traduit par d'énormes dégâts provoqués par les maladies et les insectes; la conservation inexistante ou insuffisante de produits alimentaires, ne permet pas, dans les périodes d'abondance, de constituer des réserves pour les périodes de pénurie, où l'on en vient à manger les semences, ce qui affecte les superficies ensemencées dans les années suivantes.

La famine sévit un peu partout en Afrique et, pour divers motifs, seuls quelques pays ont accès ou droit aux moyens d'information, sans lesquels les ressources alimentaires de l'extérieur, ou bien ne leur parviennent pas, ou bien sont purement accidentelles.

Le document à l'étude C85/20 nous permet d'avoir une vision globale de la situation.

Nous ne pouvons manquer d'appuyer avec enthousiasme l'action réalisée par la FAO, par d'autres organisations internationales et par les divers pays développés dans le sens de sauver de la famine des millions d'êtres humains, un peu partout en Afrique, et spécialement là où les carences sont mieux connues.

Nous regrettons tous que les résultats positifs que l'on souhaiterait obtenir ne soient pas entière‐ment atteints, du fait que, dans la situation actuelle, il ne suffit pas de fournir les aliments mais qu'il faut encore les stocker et les distribuer, et tous ceux qui ont l'expérience de l'Afrique savent que ces dernières tâches sont peut-être plus difficiles que la première.

Mon pays est d'avis que ces actions doivent être encore renforcées et accompagnées de mesures complémentaires pour leur garantir le maximum d'efficacité. Et, à cet effet, doivent participer aussi bien les pays donneurs que les pays bénéficiaires.

Il est impressionnant de constater que les aliments attendent, au large de la côte, durant de longues périodes, faute de structures pour assurer leur débarquement, ou bien pourrissent au soleil ou à la pluie, faute d'installations de stockage, ou bien ne sont pas acheminés vers l'intérieur, faute de moyens de transport, et finissent par faire l'objet de tractations commerciales. Et tout ceci alors que la famine continue à sévir et que les agriculteurs se voient obligés d'abandonner leurs terres, à la recherche d'aliments en provenance de l'extérieur, aggravant ainsi la macro-céphalie des villes africaines, déjà, dans certains cas, impressionnante, alors que les champs sont abandonnés par ceux qui devraient les cultiver dans les années suivantes.

Les longues périodes de sécheresse et les inondations ont de tous temps sévi en Afrique, et ces phénomènes ne sont pas spécifiques du continent africain. Seulement, ici, et dans les circonstances actuelles, leurs effets sont plus catastrophiques, parce que les moyens pour les corriger sont en général inexistants, embryonnaires, ou même inconnus.

Dans un esprit de solidarité, qu'il importe non seulement de préserver mais encore de renforcer, laissant de côté les différences de races, de religion, ou d'idéologies politiques, nous devons unir nos efforts pour sauver l'Afrique, et chacun de nous doit contribuer à cette oeuvre de salut, dans toutes la mesure de ses ressources, et jusqu'au sacrifice, si nécessaire.

Cependant, nous le savons tous, le problème de la famine en Afrique, dans ses racines les plus profondes, est un problème de développement. La dévastation des forêts, conséquence des feux et de l'agriculture itinérante, d'un faible rendement unitaire, est préoccupante. L'érosion, au dire de certains spécialistes, est un des plus graves problèmes de l'Afrique. La forêt a cessé de régulariser le cycle de l'eau. Les pentes sont dénudées, les vallées des fleuves ensablées.

Nous devons aider les Africains à tirer profit de leurs propres ressources, à les valoriser, à les conserver; nous devons leur fournir les aliments pour leur permettre de surmonter la crise qu'ils traversent, sans doute, mais aussi, et peut-être principalement, des machines, des semences améliorées, des engrais et des pesticides, des capitaux, et surtout des spécialistes des pays tro‐picaux, connaissant les conditions locales, et qui ne se limitent pas à transplanter sous les tropiques les systèmes de culture de leurs pays d'origine, qui conduisent parfois à des résultats désastreux.

Dans la majeure partie des pays africains, les terres ne sont pas encore rigoureusement délimitées, et, bien que dans la plupart des cas les terrains soient pauvres, ils sont potentiellement très productifs, grace à d'autres caractéristiques écologiques, s'ils sont dûment fertilisés et irrigués et si les cultures sont protégées contre l'invasion des mauvaises herbes et les attaques des insectes et des maladies dont le développement est favorisé par les conditions du climat tropical.

Il suffirait de doubler la production unitaire des superficies actuellement cultivées en Afrique pour disposer sur place d'aliments en quantité plus que suffisante. Et les techniciens savent parfaitement que cela est possible, et même, dans quelques cas, relativement facile, étant donné les rendements unitaires actuels, extrêmement faibles, de la plupart des cultures.

L'Afrique a beaucoup plus besoin que l'on aide effectivement ses habitants que de mouvements paternalistes. Les Africains eux-mêmes l'ont déclaré par la voix de leurs dirigeants à la Conférence de Harare dont nous devons avoir les conclusions toujours présentes à l'esprit quand nous définissons nos programmes d'aide à l'Afrique. Les Africains veulent prendre en main leurs propres destins, et les pays développés doivent mettre à leur disposition des "maîtres et des volontaires capables de collaborer à leur développement", comme disait Bruno Keisky à la Conférence de la FAO en 1983.

Notre pays appuie toutes les initiatives de développement en Afrique qui s'intègrent dans la courageuse déclaration de Harare et met à la disposition des promoteurs de plans ou de projets de ce type quelques dizaines de techniciens dotés de longues années d'expérience professionnelle et humaine des tropiques, comme nous le faisons déjà, sur le plan bilatéral et en priorité, naturellement, en faveur des pays de langue portugaise. Mais il va sans dire que nous sommes prêts à répondre à des sollicitations que d'autres pays du vaste monde tropical entendront devoir nous adresser.

Dans son discours prononcé à l'Assemblée Générale des Nations Unies, le Président de la République Portugaise a souligné les grandes lignes de notre action, qui avait, entre autres, pour objectif "l'élimination des crises alimentaires... dont nous avons un dramatique et vivant exemple dans les pays du Continent africain, auquel notre pays est toujours étroitement lié par de profonds et solides liens historiques et culturels". Ces paroles traduisent bien la sensibilité du peuple portugais aux problèmes qui affectent l'Afrique tourmentée d'aujourd'hui.

E. PARDO (Argentina): Deseo expresar, en primer lugar, nuestra simpatía y total solidaridad con el fraterno país de Colombia ante las consecuencias de la reciente catástrofe que tan dolorosamente lo afectara.

Señor Presidente: hemos escuchado con gran interés la declaración del señor Director General sobre la situación crítica en Africa circulada en el documento C 85/INF/20. También lo hemos hecho con las declaraciones de los señores delegados que me precedieron en el uso de la palabra, pero con especial atención, cuando lo han hecho los principales países afectados por la crisis alimentaria. Y vemos con satisfacción una acción aprobatoria general en cuanto a lo que se ha hecho.

Además hemos analizado con sumo cuidado el documento C 85/20, el que nos parece muy pertinente y se lo agradecemos efusivamente a la Secretaría.

Señor Presidente: vamos a referirnos ahora precisamente a ese documento. Resulta particularmente grato y alentador, comprobar primero cómo una gravísima situación que ha significado cuantiosos daños en valiosas vidas y recursos materiales, está siendo superada por los intensos esfuerzos y la acción coordinada de los gobiernos y los pueblos africanos. Segundo, cómo ha podido concretarse una considerable corriente de asistencia alimentaria proveniente de numerosos Estados, Organismos Intergubernamentales y Organizaciones no gubernamentales. Tercero, la creciente eficiencia medida en términos de rapidez, en acudir al pedido de asistencia, y en cuantía de esa asistencia canalizada a través de la FAO. Cuarto, la presencia cada vez más perceptible de la cooperación económica y la cooperación técnica entre países en desarrollo.

La situación en Africa se ha constituido, al respecto, en una verdadera demostración práctica de cómo se va concretando esta aspiración en una realidad permanente. Pero también tenemos que desta‐car, lamentablemente, aspectos negativos descritos en el documento en análisis. Nos referimos

primero aquí a que el crecimiento de la producción en 1985 será menor que en 1984, e inferior al crecimiento demográfico, y que se prevé un decrecimiento de los ingresos derivados de las exportaciones.

Segundo, el haberse puesto de manifiesto cuán precaria es la base de recursos de que disponen muchos países de la región africana. Tercero, la elevada inflación de los precios y la atribución, como principales causas de esa inflación, a los déficits de la producción alimentaria y las dificultades para mantener los niveles de importación. Cuarto, el fuerte crecimiento de las exportaciones y el correcto pronóstico de que la disminución de los precios internacionales ocasionará caídas considerables de la relación del intercambio.

Asimismo, es desalentador que las importaciones vuelvan a limitarse en 1985 a una reducción del déficit comercial en base a la capacidad de importar por falta de aptitud de compra o financiación; no es recomendable, sobre todo, en cuanto ellas contribuyeron en gran parte a que se frenara el crecimiento del producto internacional bruto.

Más grave aún, es el creciente endeudamiento externo en los países de Africa; las previsiones de constituirse en un 40 por ciento el producto bruto interno y de absorber el 32 por ciento de los ingresos de exportación, aproximarán la situación africana a la de América Latina y constituye un nuevo llamamiento al tratamiento a nivel intergubernamental de esta situación, sobre todo si se tiene en cuenta las necesidades de inversión de los países de Africa que el propio Informe de la FAO pone de manifiesto cuando se señalan las dificultades de acceso de la ayuda alimentaria a causas de limitaciones de puerto y transporte.

También llama particularmente la atención algo que no por obvio es menos preocupante, nos referimos al reconocimiento de que el crecimiento de la producción de Africa depende en'gran parte del creci‐miento económico de los países industrializados.

Deseamos ahora, Sr. Presidente, mirando hacia el futuro y en esta dirección, destacar nuestro pleno apoyo al Programa para la Rehabilitación de la Agricultura en Africa y su intención de que la ayuda en caso de urgencia no impida ni sustituya, sino que refuerce el desarrollo a más largo plazo que aún se necesita para alcanzar un crecimiento sostenido del sector agrícola en los países interesados. Interpretamos este propósito en la necesidad de favorecer cambios permanentes en las estructuras productivas y comerciales de los países de Africa destinados a expandir sus agriculturas de subsistencia y exportación.

Finalmente, Sr. Presidente, deseo expresarle que mi país está participando con mucho interés en el Banco Agrícola de Desarrollo. Estamos, igualmente, en el marco de la cooperación económica entre países en desarrollo, actuando con mucho entusiasmo en materia de capacitación para el desarrollo agrícola y el fomento de la ganadería con fondos nacionales del Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo.

Nos permitimos, Sr. Presidente, ofrecer asimismo capacitación por medio de nuestro Instituto Nacio‐nal de Tecnología Agropecuaria y también la exportación de semillas para aquellos países de Africa que pudieran necesitar de ella.

A.K.M. KAMALUDDIN CHOUDHURY (Bangladesh):The Bangladesh delegation would like to join the other delegations to convey their deep and heartfelt sympathies on behalf of the Government, and the people of Bangladesh, to our bretheren in Colombia who have suffered such a colossal loss. We believe that the international community would join not only with the sympathy to the suffering of the people, but would also provide material help, in providing succor to the suffering people in that country. It is only appropriate, and most reassuring, to learn from the Director-General of FAO that he has already taken steps, and has been in touch with the Colombian Government and is taking the necessary steps in this regard. This will be in keeping with the humanitarian spirit and traditions of FAO.

Turning to the subject of the critical situation in Africa, the Bangladesh delegation has a few observations to make. First, we would like to compliment the Director-General for an excellent document and statement presented to the Commission on the current situation in Africa. We are

very relieved to hear about the good harvest that has taken place in some of the African countries. However, we feel that we must not relax our efforts so that the situation and tragedy may not recur. It is gratifying to note that through a series of action programmes directly aimed at rehabilitating agriculture in affected countries, FAO is planning to make African States self-sufficient in food so that the spectre of famine and hunger can never again pose a threat to the people as before.

African agriculture,to our mind, is primarily rain-fed agriculture. We feel it is very necessary that greater efforts be made in field research to solve the problem of rain-fed agriculture in African countries.

Another important lesson is that food aid must be efficiently used in the affected countries, and needs to be integrated with the development process, particularly the agricultural development process for increased production of food grains. FAO will have to take up the challenge to boost our food production in the low-income countries, the food-deficient countries, and particularly in the African countries.

The African crisis also reminds us of the imperative need to increase food production in all the Third World countries. It is the common responsibility of mankind because some of these countries do not have the technical capabilities and funding to undertake agricultural development programmes. The weakening of the spirit of multilateralism, adverse exchange rates vis-a vis the dollar, hard currencies, the imposition of the tariff wall by some of the developed and prosperous countries, and high interest rates have all contributed in accentuating the problem of the Third World, food-deficient countries. A subsidy to agricultural production in the developed countries works as a detrimental force in relation to the productivity and marketing of agricultural products in the Third World countries. The problems become almost insurmountable.

Therefore, the international community must learn to accommodate, and only in that spirit is it possible to provide a guarantee of at least some sort of assurance that the food shortage and the famine situation, like the one we have seen in African countries, may not be repeated in the future.

M. YOSHII (Japan): Taking this opportunity, I, on behalf of the Government of Japan, wish to extend sympathy to the Colombian people who are hit by the tragic calamity.

Now, I would like to commend the excellent report of the Secretariat on the situation in Africa. Throughout the recent African food crisis FAO has done good work, grasping the situation and analyzing the crisis. Thanks to it, the international community could indeed react. The importance of such activities cannot be over-emphasized. In this context, I particularly emphasize the importance of the FAO Early Warning System which worked so remarkably. The establishment of this system was in fact proposed by Japan during the World Food Conference in 1974. Japan would like to stress the necessity of improving the system, utilizing, for example, a remote sensing technology. In the follow-up report of the last Bonn Summit this was, in fact, already proposed to improve the FAO Early Warning System. As I mentioned in the last intervention, underlying programmes of food shortage, especially in Africa, are persisting. It is essential for those countries which are suffering from these problems to make the utmost efforts to rehabilitate agriculture and for the international community to strengthen their cooperation. In doing so, I would like to stress that much more importance should be attached to smallholders, who bear a great part in food production. In order to assist these farmers and to promote their production, a much more comprehensive approach is needed including the establishment of adequate pricing policies, the improvement of proper infrastructure, and the enforcement of extension and training. In the connection we believe the protection of the forests and development of forestry would be of great significance. The so-called social forestry would be a valuable approach, and my Government intends to extend cooperation in Africa to promote such kind of forestry.

During the present fiscal year Japan's grant directed to Africa will be around US$ 240 million, themajor portion being directed to food and agriculture.

Furthermore, in coordination with the World Bank, Yen loans will also be increased to theamount of US$ 100 million. My country plans to increase its contribution to -international

organizations such as FAO, UNDP and WFP to strengthen the assistance to Africa. My Government is earnestly considering further expanding this assistance to Africa for rural development and improvement of transportation and storage facilities, reinforcement of research activities and also forestation activities as I mentioned previously.

N. SRISURAK (Thailand): At the outset, I would like to associate ourselves to express our sympathy for the Colombian people facing disaster.

Turning to the subject, my delegation appreciates very much the Secretariat's paper to highlight the state of food and agriculture as well as the programme being carried out in Africa which is a fruitful and valuable one. My delegation would like to make a few remarks. This document coincides with others, like the Fifth World Food Survey. The statement made by the Director-General of the FAO to the Second Committee of the 40th Session of the General Assembly indicates clearly the crisis in Africa, taking into account the problems of food shortages, malnutrition, lack of funds in financing its own development, and others. We are all aware of the underlying structural causes of the present crisis. Under the present situation, we believe that African people in various countries are not staying alone. We also believe that their national resources, which are a brake on progress, are still sufficient like the other regions. If this is so, my delegation supports the Programmes carried out in this document. It is necessary, in our opinion, for the governments to revise their policies so as to favour the small farmers, rather than the large scale cash crop plantations. Therefore, they should have to take a second look at their priorities. More funds should be invested in agriculture, keeping the need of food for the people in the first priority.

At this conjunction, permit me to say a few words about our agricultural development and policy concerning rural development and the poor. We, as policy analysts, have spent a lot of time and money to determine what the rural people and the poor are facing and needing, in particular the small farmers in the remote areas and in rainfed agriculture. After having these facts, rural people are trained to implement those projects and programmes that are needed. The Government should take their proposals into account seriously and keep in mind that the projects must be productive and that food production for their family consumption is their primary concern. To formulate the appropriate project and the right target, we believe that the poor should be eliminated sooner or later. For the programmes to be successful, we believe, they should be backed by the goodwill of government.

Turning to Africa again, my delegation strongly believes that most governments in Africa are going to do the same as we are doing. If this is so, more funds and aid are forthcoming to assist them, as we have seen in the various documents.

Before closing my remarks, we would like to also see the reports dealing with the monitoring and evaluation ot the projects which have been implemented in more depth. This, in our opinion, would help us to assess the projects and programmes effectively and sufficiently and to strengthen the food production in a proper and timely manner.

Little attention has been paid to the problem of population growth being higher than food production growth. This, in our view, is one of the key problems we should take into serious consideration. In this context, my delegation strongly believes that family planning should be in the national economic and social plan of African countries. The balance of economic growth and population growth should be recognized.

A.M. OSMAN (Sudan) (Original language Arabic): At the outset I should like to thank the Director-General for the personal interest he has shown in document C 85/20 which we fully endorse. The major problem being faced by Africa today is that of desertification. I believe that desertification is the main reason behind the imbalances in our infrastructures. Desertification is also the main reason that caused drought as well as the deterioration of the vegetation cover

which,in turn,led to the animals' hunger, diseases and death. Desertification is the real cause of migration of large numbers of farmers from rural areas to urban areas, leaving behind all their properties, lands, farms and animals. Desertification is the cause of current famine and refugees' influxes from one area to another.

In the Sudan,.the desert, is widening at the rate of 6 to 7 km. a year. This rate might be higher in some neighbouring 'countries. Since this desertification phenomenon has been continuing for quite a long period of time, it has adversely affected all production aspects; that is to say plants, animals and human beings. The desertification problem needs serious action to be undertaken by all governments concerned, as well as the international community, if we are to restore the fertility and the productivity of the land and if we are to hold the desertification phenomenon.

I believe that the desertification problem should have first priority within the framework of African problems with the exception, of course, of emergency situations and relief operations. I believe that African States and international organizations should coordinate their efforts to confront this dangerous phenomenon.

Srta. H. LOPEZ DE MORAL (Colombia): En primer lugar, queremos agradecer de todo corazón, a nombre del Gobierno y del pueblo colombiano las amables palabras pronunciadas por todas las delegaciones, con ocasión de la catástrofe que nos asola.

Sr. Presidente, Colombia reitera su posición, basada en los ideales de humanidad y justicia que ha venido sosteniendo en ocasiones anteriores sobre este tema de tan trágica actualidad. Su gravedad misma ha sido puesta en evidencia por las emocionadas palabras del Director General, que ha querido él mismo presentar este documento.

En el 86 ^º período de sesiones del Consejo, nuestro país fue uno de los primeros en redactar la reso‐lución 1/86, en la cual se ha venido basando la asistencia de la FAO en Africa, sobre todo en cuanto al programa de rehabilitación de la agricultura africana que a juicio de Colombia, es esencial.

Es evidente que la FAO ha estado consciente de estos problemas, como consta en los numerosos docu‐mentos, excelentes por cierto, de que disponemos en esta Conferencia. Además de utilizar todos los mecanismos de información y alerta para tener al corriente de la situación a la comunidad interna‐cional y al público en general, ha enviado misiones especiales a Africa, ha creado un grupo especial de acción, FAO/PMA, que tiene como mandato no sólo organizar misiones de evaluación de los problemas, sino llevar a cabo planes de acción inmediata.

Pero, Sr. Presidente, esto no basta. Si bien las condiciones generales de la agricultura y la alimentación en Africa para 1985/86 ofrecen perspectivas ligeramente mejores, se prevén aún graves problemas en algunos países; como también ha indicado esta mañana nuestro Director General.

Sigue siendo preocupante que el aumento de la producción, de un 2,2 por ciento sea menor que el cre‐cimiento demográfico, que es del 3 por ciento. Parece ser que además disminuirán los ingresos deri‐vados de las exportaciones.

Todos estos factores, sumados a la escasez de las divisas indispensables para hacer frente al servicio de la cuantiosa deuda externa, que estrangula la frágil economía de estos países hacen casi imposible la adopción y puesta en práctica en ellos de planes y programas de inversión y desarrollo. Estos programas, Sr. Presidente, solamente son posibles con una generosa y bien dirigida ayuda in‐ternacional, que, como también nos recordó el Director General, requiere un enfoque global.

Las cifras del Cuadro 1 del documento C 85/20 que nos ocupa, son sobrecogedoras y nos llenan de preocupación.

Por todas las razones anteriormente expuestas, queremos manifestar nuestro apoyo a los programas espe‐ciales previstos por el Director General dentro del Programa de Labores y Presupuesto para 1986/87, para el Programa de Rehabilitación de la Agricultura en Africa. Nos complace que el Director General nos haya dicho esta mañana que ya hay ciento veintiún millones de dólares de asistencia para este Programa.

Finalmente, la delegación de Colombia apoya plenamente todas las iniciativas de la FAO en Africa, así como la cooperación con la Organización de la Unidad Africana, que representa muy bien a los gobiernos y pueblos de Africa.

R. PRESTIEN (Federal Republic of Germany) (original language German):I should like to start by joining my voice with that of many previous speakers who have expressed their condolences to the Colombian delegation.

I should now like to make a few comments on the situation in Africa. Since its inception, we have highly appreciated FAO's Global Information and Early Warning Systems for Food and Agriculture, since it represents a special contribution to enhanced food security. It was for that reason that we drew attention specifically to it in Bonn in our special exhibition "Forty Years of FAO - Thirty-five Years of membership of the Federal Republic of Germany", on World Food Day this year. In our view, the Early Warning System has proved to be of very considerable value, especially when it reacted early to signal the looming crisis in Africa. My country has not shrunk from the ethical duty to do its best to help fellow human beings in adversity. In 1984 we contributed a total of DM184 million of food aid to the most seriously affected African countries. This year the Federal Republic of Germany is, in addition, participating in the World Bank's Action Programme for Africa with a contribution of DM100 million. Finally, on a single day this year, Africa Day, January 23, the people of my country contributed more than DM120 million. This money is used by non-governmental organizations in my country to fund projects in Africa. Then there is also the very considerable percentage - 50 percent - coming from the European Community to help drought-affected countries with food shortages in Africa. Moreover, let me point out that EEC-ACP Lomé III funds mainly go to sub-Saharan Africa.

We agree with the statements in the document that the slight detention of the situation in Africa is not enough to bring about a far reaching medium-term and long-term improvement of the situation. However, we can see some promising signs of improvement, as indicated by Table 1 in the document: GDP up 2.6 percent; agricultural production up 3.1 percent; volume of exports up 6.2 percent; agricultural exports up 14.2 percent.

Like the overwhelming majority of previous speakers, I, too, take the view that agricultural production in Africa must be increased, as indeed the African governments themselves recognized in the Harare Declaration of 1984. Like the Chairman of our Conference, Mr Yonke, the Minister from the Cameroon, we take the view that it is possible for the vast, untapped agricultural potential of Africa to be exploited. We are very glad to say that harvest prospects in the majority of the 21 worst-hit African countries are much better than they were at the start of 1985.

The Federal Republic of Germany will continue its development cooperation with Africa. In so doing, we will attach special importance to rural development, as we have done since the inception of our cooperation efforts 35 years ago.

The particularly difficult situation of Africa was also a topic discussed at the meeting of Heads of State and Government of the seven major industrialized countries and the President of the Commission of the European Communities held in Bonn between 2 and 4 May of this year. Follow-up measures are presently being prepared.

I should like to recall that Federal Minister Kiechle, in addressing the Plenary Session of our Conference, welcomed African countries' efforts in the food and agricultural field. Beyond that he shares the view that the present situation of Africa must be a focus of external aid. The remission of debts totalling DM4.1 billion, as stated by Mr Kiechle, represents a useful measure, we think, which is aimed at alleviating the situation of the least developed countries.

J. NAPPORN (Bénin): La délégation béninoise s'associe aux autres délégations qui T'ont précédée pour exprimer sa sympathie au peuple colombien qui vient d'être frappé par une grave catastrophe. Nous présentons à toute la délégation colombienne nos vives condoléances.

Nous apprécions la netteté et la clarté du document C 85/20 présenté par le Directeur général de la FAO ce matin.

Comme vous le savez, l'Afrique subit depuis plusieurs années une sécheresse sans précédent débouchant sur toute une série de calamités naturelles et ces effets sont ressentis gravement par tous les pays d'Afrique dont certains ont vu leur économie complètement effondrée; c'est pendant ce temps que plusieurs Etats doivent payer les échanges des dettes avec des intérêts très élevés, sans oublier que les contreparties de certains projets restent difficiles à rassembler. Cette année heureusement, les pluies sont redevenues normales et permettent une production qui pourra couvrir les besoins dans certains pays. Mais par contre, certains autres pays ne pourront pas boucler leur déficit et il faudrait que la Communauté internationale intervienne encore pour couvrir leurs besoins. Il ne faut pas se réjouir de cette petite amélioration. C'est pourquoi dans les pays où des surplus peuvent se dégager, il faudrait que la Communauté internationale puisse permettre à ces pays de commercialiser ces surplus à un prix convenable pour éviter de décourager la population. Sans un effort dans ces pays, où l'intervention de la CEE serait très appréciée, les surplus ne peuvent plus être dégagés des années à venir; une perturbation quelconque à l'avenir peut être encore catastrophique pour nos pays.

La délégation béninoise tient à remercier le Directeur général de la FAO pour tous les efforts qu'il déploie avec tous ceux qui l'aident dans cette mission pour donner aux pays africains le "filet" au lieu de leur donner le "poisson" et que ce poisson ne peut être fourni que lorsque nécessaire.

I.P. ALVARENGA (El Salvador): Nos complace verlo en la Presidencia por sus cualidades personalesy diplomáticas que admiramos, así como por la feliz coincidencia de que dirija un debate que atañe a su Continente. Creemos que la mejor manera de mostrarle nuestra estima, será ser breves como usted lo ha pedido.

Queremos empezar por unirnos a quienes han expresado su pésame al hermano pueblo de Colombia por la nueva tragedia que ha venido a enlutarlo.

Señor Presidente: Nuestro país ha mantenido invariablemente su más profunda solidaridad con el continente africano. En esta ocasión queremos solamente de la manera más sintética posible, reafirmar nuestros puntos de vista en relación con el documento C 85/20 que estamos considerando.

Se empieza ahí por decir, y cito: "El Director General ha aprovechado todas las oportunidades paraseñalar la crisis de Africa a la atención de la Comunidad Internacional y de la opinión pública engeneral". Somos testigos de, y ensalzamos, la incansable labor del Director General y de la FAO,a las cuales se debe en gran medida que el mundo entero haya advertido, y en su mayor parte acudido a socorrer a los países africanos.

Vemos con alegría que algunos síntomas de alivio se presentan en las condiciones climatológicas y en algunos indicadores económicos, aunque falta muchísimo para que la situación general sea satisfactoria.

En efecto, advertimos que la producción en este año será menor que en 1984, y descenderá todavía en el año próximo; que la inflación crece a una velocidad inferior sólo a la de nuestro desafortunado continente; la deuda exterior con todo y ser menor también que la nuestra, es igualmente pesada y gravosa.

Y citamos a los 22 donantes del Programa de Rehabilitación de la Agricultura. Apoyamos las medidas que tomara la FAO en beneficio de Africa. Nos complace la idea de celebrar un períodoespecial de la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas, en el cual se profundice la forma en que la Comunidad Internacional emprenderá la reconstrucción del Africa, y ojalá tome las medidas para que una símil catástrofe no se repita en el futuro.

P.N. BAIGENT (New Zealand): New Zealand joins with other delegations in expressing our heartfelt sympathy to the Colombian people.

Document C 85/20, which sets out the Critical Situation in Africa, makes it very clear that while to some extent the immediate crisis is past the real challenge is just beginning. There is no doubt that people throughout the world responded admirably once the extent of the crisis was clear. Like others, the New Zealand people also responded generously both in cash aid and through our own special community effort, Operation Hope, by sending a shipload of grain and other emergency supplies to Port Sudan.

Clearly, FAO has also played a significant role, from warning of the problem to soliciting for, and coordinating,support,to monitoring the food aid requirements themselves. However, it would be wrong to judge our success in terms of our response to this crisis. Indeed, when our most effective action so far has been addressing the famine, we at least are left with a sense of failure. That the crisis arose at all when FAO raised the alert at least as far back as 1976, is reason enough to pause and reflect. I make this comment not to detract in any way from the noble work of FAO during the crisis, but rather because this is the Conference, and the Conference is a time to reflect on both success and failure, a time to look back so we may go forward with sharper priorities to even greater and more lasting success in the future.

As the stark reminders of the famine disappear from television screens, as charity performers step down from the stage, and as African farmers start again to look towards tomorrow, we must strengthen our resolve. We must use these horrible memories to focus our minds on long-term solutions to ensure that this tragedy is never again repeated. In our view, this long-term action should be focused in four areas.

Firstly, we must develop sustainable production systems which local farmers can make work, systems which take into account all the vagaries of the weather. Secondly, we must ensure a competitive international trading environment, one which allows developing countries to convert their comparative advantage into foreign currencies and trade which is free from subsidized surpluses. Thirdly, we must organize international finance in an appropriate manner, and fourthly, we must encourage the development of national policies which in turn encourage farmers to produce and to make the most efficient use of their natural resources.

FAO has forty years experience on which to attack this challenge. We hope it will continue its important role of stimulating and coordinating this long-term development with clear long-term priorities. In this respect, we are encouraged to see the initiatives already taken described in the paper before us. We are encouraged, too, by the fact that priorities are being re-ordered to reflect the importance of the work in Africa. We also support other delegations who have high‐lighted the need for close cooperation with other agencies.

For our part, we are placing increased importance on assisting Africa with long-term solutions to its food problems. Our Prime Minister earlier this year set up several African relief and rehabilitation programmes. Funds are being used for emergency relief and long-term development assistance. Simultaneously, we are establishing a new mission in Harare and once this is operational, we shall initiate bilateral technical assistance with partner countries. We hope to make available agricultural experts to help African farmers to help themselves.

With these initiatives in mind, we have arranged for a team of farmers to visit Kenya, Malawi, the Sudan and other places in Africa to explore mutual bilateral opportunities and to identify areas of cooperation under our development assistance programme.

Finally, as the Director-General mentioned this morning, the New Zealand Government has given active consideration to the possibility of contributing to the proposed triangular transaction to enable the export of surpluses from Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe to neighbouring food-deficit countries.

M. 1. MAHDI (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) (original language Arabic): Might I express, through you, Mr Chairman, on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia our most sincere condolences to the people of Colombia after the disaster which has befallen their country. We hope that God will give the relatives of the victims patience and courage in this awful trial. We support the proposals of the Director-General for speeding up the emergency aid to Colombia.

May I now go on to say how delighted my delegation is to see you occupying the Chair in this Commission, Mr Chairman. At the same time, we would like to voice our satisfaction and gratitude to the Secretariat for the study which provides a full and analytical review of the situation in Africa. We are grateful to the Director-General for his increased attention to the emergency in Africa. He was in the front line in alerting the world community to this emergency. The food deficit was closely linked to the drought in that area, with a consequential reduction in ground water which, in turn, had a devastating effect on human beings and on that vital resource, livestock.

The food imports of low-income African countries continued to grow. They represent an increasing burden on the resources of those countries. Today, those countries are in a desperate situation and, of course, there is also the problem of debt, and the problem of protectionism which were broached this morning by the Director-General. These countries have witnessed the spectre of death throughout their region. Rich countries have a moral duty towards the poor countries, particularly those in Africa with low incomes.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is deeply concerned by the emergency in Africa and is willing to do what it can to shoulder its responsibility towards African countries and the international community. His Majesty King Fahd Ibn Abdelaziz of Saudi Arabia has therefore granted aid to the countries con‐cerned through international organizations, technical agencies, local and international specialized agencies, including Arabic and Islamic ones, not to mention the bilateral aid which the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia grants directly to a number of countries - for example, the grants in cash or kind to the people concerned. A veritable air lift has been set up between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the countries concerned to palliate the effects of the crisis. The Saudi Arabian Red Crescent organization has set up five relief centres in Mali, Sudan and Niger. The amount of aid granted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - that is, public aid - channelled towards the solution of the drought problem, including bilateral and multilateral aid, has reached a level of $700 million, to which must be added development aid granted to 34 non-Arab developing countries in Africa which, over the last decade, has amounted to $3.5 billion. The total aid from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has exceeded 7 percent of its GNP over the last year.

The Director-General stated that the present food situation has improved. We agree, but feel that international effort must be carried on. We are grateful to the Director-General for all he has done, and all he is continuing to do, to help Africa, and we are grateful to him for treating Africa with such a high level of priority.

Apart from the adverse meteorological conditions affecting that area, the countries concerned have other burdens to bear, such as problems with production systems, infrastructures, drops in the use of technology, fertilizers and improved seeds. Then there is the debt problem, and the problem of protectionism. It is our contention that we must be prepared to act swiftly to emergency needs. We welcome such readiness, and are glad to see there is this swift reaction system We welcome the plan of the Director-General for the rehabilitation of agriculture in Africa.We are also glad to see that the projects have been meticulously prepared. The African agricultural rehabilitation programme is in addition to, and not a replacement of, emergency aid.

L. FAABORG-ANDERSEN (Denmark):Denmark continues to regard the critical food and economic situation in Africa as one of the greatest and most urgent challenges for the international community.

The UN-system has over the last years been a major catalyst in mobilizing international awareness and assistance to alleviate the plight of the Africans. We consider it to be imperative that the UN-system continues to pay the highest attention to this issue.

The fight for the survival of millions of human lives in the drought-stricken regions has been the first and most urgent priority. Governments, the UN-system and a large number of voluntary organi‐zations have responded in a commendable manner to the calls for increased emergency aid. Food aid and other relief efforts have helped millions of people to survive and immediate suffering has been considerably alleviated.

In this connection! will in particular like to express our appreciation for the very important work done by the FAO's Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture. We believe that this system through its contiuous monitoring and reporting has played a vital role in mobilizing a timely and coordinated donor-response to the African emergency.

Late rains, particularly in the Sahel-region, have improved the food situation in a number of African countries, thus giving some breathing space to people in these areas.

Yet, it is well to remember that the fight against famine is far from being won and there is a risk risk that in certain regions the nutritional situation might again deteriorate. .Sub-Saharan Africa will continuously need large amounts of emergency assistance, food aid, agricultural inputs, transportation, equipment and medicine. The international community must not slacken its efforts in this regard.

The magnitude of human suffering in Africa has to an unprecedented degree captured the attention of the entire world. The donor community should seize this opportunity to consider how the increased public awareness of the plight of African countries could be turned into a more permanent under‐standing and support for longer-term development assistance. It is now the proper time to convey to the public that only long-term development can redress the underlying structural causes of the present crisis and, in so doing, avoid a perpetuation of such crisis.

Dependance on disaster relief must not become a permanent feature in Africa. Strenuous action should therefore be taken especially for the rehabilitation of agricultural production and the creation of a sound basis for future rural development.

The FAO's Programme for the Rehabilitation of Agriculture in Africa covering the continents most drought-affected countries constitutes in our view an important step in this direction.

In this connection Iwould, however, in line with the views expressed by previous speakers, like to stress the need for improved coordination among donor agencies, as well as for the establishment of a coherent national policy framework in the recipient countries.

My country is deeply concerned over the gravity, persistency and deep-rooted nature of the African economic crisis.

We remain, however, convinced that the African countries themselves together with the rest of the international community have ways and means to revert this negative trend. We also believe that there already exists a broad consensus on the commitment to necessary action for Africa's development.

In this regard my government has been encouraged by the determination and commitment of the Heads of State and Government of the Organization of the African Unity in their declaration of last July to cope more effectively with current and future emergencies and also to get to the root of Africa's food and agricultural crisis. This approach is, indeed, indispensable in order to redress the long-term outlook of Africa's overall development. The OAU Declaration is an important policy statement by the African leaders, who also reaffirmed that the development of their Continent is the primary responsibility of their own Governments and peoples. The Declaration and its priority programme deserve attention and support on the part of the international community as a whole.

We commend the efforts by the African Governments to restore the internal balances in their economies through often painful but necessary adjustment measures at high social and political costs.

The responsibility for taking the appropriate domestic policy measures rests with the African countries themselves, but these efforts must be supported by the international community. In this connection I would like to stress that the restoration and expansion of external financial resources is a matter of urgency for the affected countries. This calls for positive measures in a number of interlinked issues such as net transfer of resources, debt relief and export earnings.

The donor community should accept the long-term challenge of relaunching the development in the same commendable manner as they have done in meeting the most immediate needs of emergency aid.

Denmark, who already now strongly supports the development efforts in Africa is prepared to meet its share of this challenge.

J. THINSY (Belgique): Comme d'autres délégations qui m'ont précédé, je voudrais m'associer aux marques de sympathie qui ont été présentées à la délégation de la Colombie suite à la catastrophe qui vient d'arriver dans ce pays.

Pour en revenir maintenant au sujet qui nous occupe, je voudrais dire ce qui suit:

La famine qui a frappé de nombreux pays africains et qui a atteint son point le plus aigu en 1984 restera dans nos mémoires et dans l'histoire de la fin de ce siècle comme une tragédie humaine, mais également comme un échec douloureux. Si je parle d'échec, c'est parce que, contrairement au passé, nous avons actuellement les moyens d'empêcher de semblables catastrophes. On a déjà souligné qu'au moment où la famine s'étendait sur une partie importante de l'Afrique, les récoltes mondiales de céréales battaient tous les records. De plus, la crise avait été annoncée par les experts, et en particulier par le système mondial d'information et d'alerte rapide de la FAO, qui a montré son efficacité à cette occasion.

Et pourtant, l'évitable n'a pas pu être évité. Et pour beaucoup d'hommes, de femmes et d'enfants, l'aide internationale est arrivée trop tard.

Je ne pense pas nécessaire de reprendre dans cette intervention brève l'analyse des causes profondes de la crise. Depuis deux ans ces questions ont été suffisamment analysées; je me permettrai cependant de noter que l'accent mis dans le document de la FAO sur les aspects internationaux des problèmes risque de masquer l'essentiel. C'est vrai, la crise économique, la baisse de la valeur des exportations, l'endettement, le manque de devises, et la diminution forcée des importations qui en a été la conséquence ont sans doute pesé dans la balance. On doit cependant reconnaître que la cause principale de la catastrophe a été l'insuffisance et -souvent la chute de la production globale.

En me référant au discours de M. le Président de la République française, comme lui je ne crois pas que la solution au problème de la faim dépende essentiellement, par exemple, de la lutte contre le protectionnisme. Cette lutte est sans doute nécessaire dans l'intérêt du commerce en général; mais ce ne sont pas les pays qui souffrent le plus de la faim qui sont affectés par le protection‐nisme, ni d'ailleurs par la baisse des recettes d'exportation.

Enfin, suite à l'intervention du représentant de la Tchécoslovaquie, je voudrais souligner, comme l'a fait avant moi le représentant de l'Australie, que de telles déclarations politiques manichéennes se situent fort loin de la réalité et ne font pas progresser vers des solutions au problème de la faim. Je clos ici cette parenthèse.

Le document C.85/20 souligne l'évolution favorable des récoltes dans la plupart des pays d'Afrique qui ont été touchés par la sécheresse et la famine; il semble donc que l'on sorte peu à peu de la situation de crise aiguë, même si l'aide d'urgence continue et continuera à être nécessaire dans les pays les plus gravement touchés. Nous devons saluer cette évolution positive; mais elle ne doit pas nous empêcher d'une part de veiller à ce que la communauté internationale soit mieux préparée à affronter une crise semblable, qui sera toujours possible, - nous devons donc trouver des solutions aux retards des livraisons des aides alimentaires, pallier l'encombrement des ports et les difficultés de distribution à l'intérieur des pays,en particulier dans les zones isolées -d'autre part, comme l'a déclaré M. le Directeur général dans son introduction à ce débat, le répit que nous donne la nature doit être employé pour reconstruire au plus tot l'agriculture africaine affectée par la sécheresse.

La priorité doit être accordée au secteur agricole, au développement de la production, et à la mise en place de l'infrastructure nécessaire, par exemple pour conserver la production après la récolte.

Cette priorité accordée à l'agriculture relève essentiellement des gouvernements africains eux-mêmes, comme l'a reconnu la Déclaration de Harare, et comme l'a écrit le Directeur général de notre Organisation dans son introduction au document sur le Programme de travail dont la cote est C 85/3.

J'ajouterai que des efforts doivent également être faits pour que la croissance de la production agricole et la croissance démographique soient plus adaptées l'une à l'autre.

En dehors de l'aide d'urgence, la plupart des projets financés par la Belgique concernent le développement agricole; c'est d'ailleurs l'objet du fonds de survie belge qui mobilise approxima‐tivement 200 millions de dollars, dont la moitié a déjà été affectée à des projets. Conformément à cette priorité accordée à l'agriculture, la Belgique a été l'un des premiers pays à s'engager à financer pour 2,2 millions de dollars des projets dans le cadre de programmes de relèvement de l'agriculture en Afrique présentés par la FAO en mars dernier.

A propos de financement de programmes, je voudrais saisir cette occasion pour marquer l'appréciation de mon pays pour l'effort fait par la FAO qui a consacré 15 millions de dollars d'économie sur le budget ordinaire à ce programme concret sur le terrain.

Enfin, je voudrais souligner que la Belgique comme membre de la Communauté économique européenne participe à cette nouvelle initiative de l'Europe qu'est le plan de réhabilitation et de relance des pays africains les plus affectés par la sécheresse, plan qui devrait mobiliser quelque 160 millions de dollars en faveur de huit pays.

Pour conclure, je répéterai que si la phase aiguë de la crise alimentaire semble passée, ce serait une grave erreur que de diminuer nos efforts alors que tant reste à faire pour garantir une certaine autonomie alimentaire des pays africains qui ont souffert de la faim. La Belgique en est pleinement consciente et pour sa part continuera la tâche entreprise.

WU TIANXI (China) (Original language Chinese): At the outset we would like to express our deep concern and sympathy to the people of Colombia who have suffered a great deal from the catastrophe.

The food problem in Africa has been discussed time and again at relevant international fora. Today I have listened to the introduction made by the Director-General, and the interventions made by many delegates. More and more facts have indicated that the current critical situation in Africa is by no means just a problem of food shortage. The food problem, which is interwoven with adverse socio-economic factors, prolonged economic recession, increasingly heavy debt burdens, and declining prices on international markets for agricultural products, have aggravated the sufferings of the African people.

To make things worse, recent years have witnessed serious natural disasters in the African Continent, in certain areas. Threatened by hunger, tens of thousands of people have had to leave their homes to seek a living. Here, I would like to express our deep concern and sympathy for this situation.

We have noted that the Twenty-first Summit Conference of the OAU held several months ago, identified a solution to the African food crisis as the primary task of the African people and their countries.

Efforts should then be directed towards creating conditions for the rehabilitation of agriculture and prevention of the recurrence of a situation similar to that of today, with appropriate structural reforms. This is, no doubt, a realistic and far-sighted policy, which indicates the right way for the African people to follow in adressing the current critical situation.

We are very pleased to learn that a number of African countries have succeeded in recent years in reducing the consequences caused by natural calamities and drought, especially by building water conservation projects, by strengthening agricultural research, and services like extension, by replacing mono-type structure in agricultural production, by diversified management. Moreover, some of the countries have attained self-sufficiency in food. This gives testimony to the unremitting efforts with which African countries and people combat natural disasters and their aspirations in building up their countries. At the same time, this proves that the African people cherish lofty ideals, and are capable of tackling their food and agricultural problems according to their own will.

The African economy is an integral part of the world economy. The African people made indelible contributions with their labour and raw materials to the development and prosperity of certain countries when they were under colonial rule. Now Africa is contributing to the promotion of the social and economic development of the world through their trade and cultural exchange with other countries. The international community should therefore actively provide its moral and material assistance to the African countries and people to help them solve their temporary difficulties, especially those developed countries which have had close ties with African countries, and should provide vigorous support in terms of capital, food and technology, to help them overcome present difficulties and to rehabilitate and develop their food and agricultural production in a speedy way.

Africa has abundant farmland resources, as well as solar energy and water resources. Great potential lies in its food and agricultural development. We are convinced that having achieved national independence, the African people will finally achieve economic independency by bringing into full. play their initiative in developing food production to attain food self-sufficiency in the spirit of the Lagos Plan of Action and the Harare Declaration.

Since the 1970s, the Chinese Government has been engaged in fruitful cooperation efforts with many African countries in the field of agricultural technology and economy. At the critical moment when Africa was hit by serious famine, we provided, within our means, many African countries with food and other assistance, contributing to South-South cooperation. In this spirit of cooperation, we in the future shall, as ever, continue to join efforts with African countries and people in an effort to seek common development.

G. ANCKARBERG (Sweden): The critical food and agricultural situation in Africa requires sustained and priority attention by FAO and the whole international community. Even if the food situation in many African countries has improved this year, the food crisis is far from over. Special food assistance will continue to be needed to alleviate the crisis until the emergency is ended. But, food relief must not become a permanent feature in Africa. While the drought obviously has had a severe impact on the food situation, it is important, however, to stress that the general downturn trend in per capita food production witnessed over several years is not just caused by short-term sociological factors and national calamities. It is also rooted in economic and institutional structures which need to be altered and improved. It is encumbent on all of us to analyze carefully the underlying causes for past trends and to ensure that remedial action is taken, otherwise famines are likely to occur in the future more often and on a more devastating scale. Agriculture is the principal economic sector in most African countries and an important provider of employment, therefore long-term solutions to restore agriculture are not only needed to improve and sustain its food security, but also to redress the overall development of Africa. In this respect, I would like tounderline the important decision this year, taken by the Heads of State and government of the Organization for African Unity in their adoption of a special programme of action for the improvement of the food situation, and rehabilitation of agriculture in Africa. This document, constitutes an important and encouraging commitment. However, the international community has a responsibility to assist, and to give technical and financial assistance to the rehabilitation of Africa's agriculture. Much more financial support, and more flexible terms need to be provided urgently. Sweden for its part, is committed to help in the development process of Africa. The major part of the Swedish Aid Programme is already directed to this Continent, to a number of so-called "programme countries". Earlier this year FAO prepared a programme for rehabilitation of agriculture in Africa, the most drought-affected countries. Some of the projects presented are of direct value for the implementation of Swedish Aid programmes in this Continent. Against the background of growing food deficits in Africa, the consultations between Sweden and the programme countries are increasingly stressing the importance of giving priority to agriculture and to rural development. Strong emphasis is placed on the role of the small farmers and the need for adequate production incentives.

As women often constitute the main part of the labour force, the role of women in the development efforts should be fully recognized. Up to now the women have been under-valued in their crucial task of improving Africa's long-term food security.

To care for the environment is another important aspect in the Swedish Aid programme. Sweden regards soil degradation as the most serious man-induced environmental threat facing agriculture.

Soil and water conservation, together with efforts to slow down the rapid increase in population, are essential elements in the solution of Africa's long-term food crisis. The present rate of population growth in Africa contributes in making the structured crisis so intractable, firstly by increasing food deficits, secondly by increasing the pressure on vulnerable soils, thirdly by contributing to rapid urbanization, fourthly, by latterly eating into the investable surplus. When we raise this issue we are not only interested in propagating family planning services. A number of other measures are equally important from a democratic point of view, such as child nutrition, health education and training, in particular for women.

Mr Chairman, the crisis of Africa will not go away by itself. The crisis is a joint responsibility for us all. Africa needs not only more financial resources, but also easier terms. To this end, systematic efforts are required by the donor community as a whole. The capacity to absorb increasing foreign aid for agriculture and rural development in an appropriate and efficient way must also be enhanced. A number of policy factors are here involved. In conclusion, I would like to underline that Sweden will continue to give the highest priority to the support of the development process in Africa.

M. BALKAN (Turkey): I would like to join the previous speakers in their expressions of sympathy and support to the Colombian people and Government with regard to the catastrophe in their country.

I would like to convey our deep appreciation to the Director-General for his valuable contributions in the mobilization of the international community to the critical economic situation in Africa and the role played by FAO in this respect. With this in mind, we strongly support and appreciate the Director-General's focus on the rehabilitât!on of African agriculture and the projects already launched and those that will be launched by FAO to this end. Although the worst of the crisis in Africa has been overcome, the course that had to be endured attained tragic proportions. We still have a long way to go before we will be able to look at the future with confidence. Therefore, the question of the situation in Africa will remain on our agenda for some time to come. It is, of course, above all up to the African countries to take the necessary measures to overcome the gigantic problems before them. However, the responsibility of the international community is equally obvious. We believe there are four fundamental aspects of this debate that should be underlined. First is the recognition of the need for coordinated and continued action in achieving the relief measures in Africa. The second aspect is the acknowledgement of the useful role played by multilateral co‐operations under the UN system which has proved to be effective in coping with the immediate problems of the emergency situation.

The third general aspect, which we welcome, is the fact that it brings out the importance of establishing a linkage between emergency operations and medium- and long-term difficulties of the African economy. Finally, I wish to underline the fact that the existing African problems cannot be thought of as a separate process from the current question of the external economic environment.

In looking ahead, we have to face up to the structural issues which presently beset the African continent. As we see it, the failure of the food and agricultural sector is very much central to the persistent situation in Africa. Certainly the African countries alone cannot be expected to create a stimulating environment for the revitalization of self-sufficiency in food without substantial external assistance. The rehabilitation process has to be complemented by support action in the areas such as transport, communication and industry to which the Addis Ababa Declaration recently accorded priority attention.

The present difficulties of the African countries, exacerbated by intense strain in world trading and financial systems, are deepening. The fact expressed by many speakers during this Conference that there is no additional flow of resources to Africa which could revitalize the development process deserves more serious attention. The unprecedented economic and social crisis has been a major source of concern for the Turkish nation. My country wholeheartedly supports the international programmes in response to the appalling situation in Africa. In line with this approach, Turkey, as a developing country, makes every effort within its limited resources to contribute to the aid programmes in relation to Sub-Saharan Africa.

M. WARD (United States of America):I should like to express the deep sympathy of the people of the United States for the people of Colombia on the occasion of yesterday's volcano disaster.

About one hour ago, at 11 a.m. Colombia time, 5 o'clock this afternoon Rome time, twelve search and rescue helicopters with accompanying specialists arrived in Colombia from Panama as part of a United States disaster relief assistance operation to work with Colombian authorities. At the same time, the United States is sending two C 130 aircrafts with tents, 500 tents per'load, and one C 130 aircraft with 4,500 blankets together with a vulcanologist to work with Colombian authorities on the emergency.

I should like to turn to the FAO Report C 85/20 on the critical situation in Africa, which is a very helpful signpost on the road to recovery in Africa. It gives a clear reading of current conditions to use in setting a course for future action.

The situation in Africa is much different from what it was a year ago. Rains have brought prospects of good harvests. Pastures are starting to grow, rivers are filling up and over time, water tables should start to rise. This is good news, and it provides water for livestock, food production and general recovery.

It would seem that for many in Africa, particularly in Sahel, the nightmare may be ending. For a while. Because without question, drought will come again. When it does, if we have learned our lessons well, the affected countries will be better prepared than they were this time.

There has indeed been remarkable teamwork during the past year and a half, among Africans, inter‐national organizations such as FAO, the World Food Programme, UNICEF and the United Nations Office for Emergency Operations in Africa, donor governments and private organizations. There have been quite unexpected and spontaneous gestures such as Band Aid and Live Aid. We have seen a unique coming together from many countries of a variety of disparate interests and groups, united by a common bond of wanting to help others in need. Private citizens, schools and universities, businesses, the media, religious groups, state, local and national Governments - all have worked together to develop programmes, gather assistance and deliver relief aid to people at risk.

These achievements are real and they give grounds for hope. And yet, emergency aid is the easy part. Because the nature of the problems has changed, different responses are required. The FAO Report before us is one of a number of increasingly consistent voices which include the World Food Council, UNICEF, the World Bank, and perceptive observers within donor and African governments -voices which remind us that more basic underlying problems than drought must be addressed, problems of economic structure, development policies, population growth, desertification and all the difficulties they cause.

A number of honourable delegates who have preceded me today have underlined these and other prob‐lems which must be confronted. There are encouraging signs of renewed urgency. Adoption by the Organization of African Unity of the Special Programme of Action for improvement of the food situ‐ation and rehabilitation of agriculture in Africa which called for a significant increase of government expenditure in agriculture. In spite of the tremendous economic strain caused by the drought, many African governments have begun to give agriculture greater priority. Som. have made difficult reforms in agricultural policy, higher prices for farmers, decontrol in consumer food prices, more attention to regional trade and encouragement for private enterprise. We congratulate these governments for their bold actions under trying circumstances.

The FAO will, I am sure, continue to play an important role in shaping the response to the longer-term African challenge. FAO's project assistance directed at improving the lot of small-scale farmers has been particularly useful. The FAO's indepth study of the agricultural and food problems in Africa noted in paragraph 52 of the document before us to be completed in 1986 can help provide sound analysis for further action. The United States supports the suggestion made this morning by the honourable delegate of Norway that this study should address and recognize the division of labour and the roles of the different international organizations responding to the critical situation in Africa. I think particularly of the programmes of IFAD directed at small producers. The United States also supports the remarks made by the distinguished delegates of Denmark, the United Kingdom, Canada and a number of other delegates, pointing out the importance of more effective coordination of resources and the importance of approved policies affecting agricultural production.

The forthcoming special session of the United Nations General Assembly on Development in Africa will offer another opportunity to focus the world's attention on the need for more enduring solutions. Getting African countries on their feet will not be easy. It will require a concerted effort, as a number of the honourable delegates have repeated today, concerted efforts on the part of Africans and the international community. All donors together are now providing US$12 billion in assistance a year to Africa. Africans are contributing far more. Effective use of these resources can result in time in major development gains. How well we use these resources will show how well we are able to learn from our experience.

M. BOUJBEL (Tunisie): La delegation tunisienne voudrait se joindre aux délégations qui l'ont précédée pour présenter ses vifs sentiments à l'égard de la Colombie et du peuple colombien.

Permettez-moi tout d'abord de féliciter le Secrétariat pour la clarté et la consistance du document présenté sur la situation alimentaire en Afrique. Telle qu'elle est indiquée, la situation alimentaire en Afrique s'est améliorée de façon sensible et la population agricole a augmenté de quatre pour cent en 1984-85. Mais le problème du redressement de l'agriculture africaine reste entier; l'effort de la communauté internationale devra s'intensifier et s'amplifier pour aider l'Afrique à faire face à la situation. A cet effet, le programme de redressement élaboré par notre Organisation devra recevoir le plus grand soutien de la-part des pays donateurs. L'ensemble des projets retenus permettra certainement de jeter les bases d'un système de production alimentaire moins précaire.

La délégation tunisienne appuie les initiatives qu'entreprend le Directeur général pour mobiliser le financement des projets de redressement de l'agriculture africaine. Notre délégation souscrit aux propositions présentées par le Directeur général dans le cadre du budget et tendant à renforcer le courant d'échange d'expertises entre pays en développement et exprime son soutien pour favoriser ces échanges auprès des pays africains les plus touchés par la sécheresse.

La Tunisie est prête à y'participer en mettant à disposition sa modeste expérience en matière de développement agricole.

Ms N. MOURAD (Egypt) (original language Arabic): My country's delegation would, first and foremost, like to say to the Colombian delegation how extremely sorry it is, given the catastrophe which has just affected that country, and we would like to join all those who have said that they would like all the necessary help to be given to the Colombian people.

We should like to congratulate the Secretariat for their effort in preparing the important document which reviews the situation of food and agriculture in Africa and for the measures taken by the Organization under the personal impulse of the Director-General in order to follow the crisis, to try to overcome it, by sending missions to determine on the spot what the situation is, by making reports and also by allocating more than half of the sum available to Africa from the Early Warning System.

We should like to say that the Director-General is to be commended for having made these appeals in order to call the attention of world opinion to the crisis in Africa and to the need to set up a global food programme for Africa. We should also like to recognize the economic and financial difficulties which many African countries still face, especially because there is to be a reduction in output in 1985 in comparison with 1984. We should also like to point out the fall in export earnings, the shortage in foreign exchange, the heavy debts and the weight of servicing the debts, also because of high interest rates, and their effects on the crisis.

It appears from the document that the prospects for crops in most African countries for 1985 are definitely better than before, although there are still four regions which need rapid intervention on the part of the world community and the governments of the affected countries.

We wish to pay a tribute to the rehabilitation programme in Africa, which is the outcome of an initiative of the Director-General, activities of which cover 24 of the most seriously affected

countries. We are happy to note that 85 percent of the funds needed for the programme have already been covered by firm pledges or by definite interest shown by certain donor countries. We know also that US$53 million have not yet been covered, and we urge the international community to step up contributions to this very important programme.

This programme is fully in line with the Lagos Plan of Action with regard to the importance of structural measures in the medium and longer-term. We also have to pay tribute to the OAU Emergency Fund which is a symbol of cooperation between African countries. We all look forward to the study of FAO on agricultural problems in Africa in the light of which we will make specific proposals designed to increase agricultural production. We also expect results from the special session of the General Assembly of the United Nations which is to be held to discuss the serious crisis in African countries.

To conclude, I wish to tell you about Egypt's contribution to brother African countries through the Technical Assistance Fund dedicated to technical cooperation in research and training.

N. MUMBA (Zambia): The Zambian delegate wishes to join the other delegates in offering Colombia deep-felt condolences on the disaster that has befallen their country. We wish to pay tribute to the Director-General of FAO and to the United States of America for the humanitarian steps they have already taken to assist Colombia.

We also wish to contribute to the debate on Item 7.2, document C 85/20. The Zambian delegation is extremely pleased to hear the message of the Director-General on the subject of the critical situation in Africa. We are touched by the efforts which the Director-General has made to reduce the suffering of the people in Africa. We are happy that the Director-General's initiative will continue in future. We hope that these initiatives will help strengthen the food supply situation of most African countries.

We are particularly pleased that the Director-General has taken steps to secure buyers for those countries like Malawi, Zimbabwe and Kenya who have surplus food. With this assistance, these countries will continue to produce more food. For Zambia, this is most welcome news, because it means that, if we need to import maize, we shall not have to go far. Furthermore, these countries produce white maize, which is our favourite type.

Document C 85/20 has explained the African situation clearly. Africa is in trouble, and something must be done. There is a need to review the situation and map out remedial measures. We in Africa will try our best, but we hope that others will also assist. We therefore urge all interested donors to work hand in hand with FAO to ensure that the rehabilitation programme for Africa is successful. No effort should be spared in trying to solve the African food situation. In this regard, the Zambian delegation would support a special resolution on Africa at this Conference.

Mlle F. BOUMAIZA (Algérie): Permettez-moi tout -d'abord d'exprimer à notre collègue de Colombie notre affliction face au drame qui s'est abattu sur son peuple et nous le prions d'accepter notre sincère amitié.

Le travail clair et concis effectué par le Secrétariat nous permet aujourd'hui de consulter un document édifiant sur l'ampleur du désastre qui affecte le continent africain où des millions de personnes affrontent de manière inégale l'un des maux les plus insoutenables pour l'être humain: la faim.

Les discours les plus éloquents n'apportent certainement pas une solution définitive aux handicaps qui barrent la route au développement du continent africain.

La crise alimentaire qui sévit en Afrique avec toutes les conséquences sociales, économiques etdramatiques nous exhorte maintenant à tenter d'apporter des solutions suffisamment objectivespour permettre aux populations les plus éprouvées d'appréhender l'avenir avec un peu plus d'espoir.

Par solutions objectives, nous entendons la mise en oeuvre d'actions concrètes projetées vers le futur. Il est vrai que des gestes généreux ont permis de répondre à des besoins urgents, mais c'est tous les jours que l'homme lutte pour sa sécurité alimentaire.

L'aide alimentaire est certainement nécessaire et même urgente pour apaiser le spectre de la faim qui tend malheureusement à s'élargir malgré la trêve que nous offrent les conditions climatiques actuelles. Nous estimons que le règlement définitif de la famine dépend nécessairement du développement de l'agriculture et non seulement du retour de pluies conjoncturelles que nous ne pouvons, hélas, garantir pour les saisons prochaines.

Aussi, il nous semble souhaitable que la communauté internationale réponde favorablement à l'appel lancé par les chefs d'Etat et de gouvernement africains lors du 21ème Sommet de l'OUA en juillet dernier, en particulier par la réunion d'une conférence internationale sur la dette extérieure de l'Afrique. De même nous espérons que les résultats de la session extraordinaire de l'Assemblée générale des Nations Unies qui doit examiner la situation critique en Afrique répondra à notre attente.

D'autres honorables délégués ont souligné la nécessité d'examiner la situation de manière globale. Notre délégation partage totalement ce point de vue d'autant que mon pays milite depuis de nombreuses années déjà en faveur de négociations globales, tant il est vrai que le problème de l'agriculture en Afrique et dans les pays en développement d'une manière générale se heurte au fonctionnement actuel du système économique mondial.

En effet, aux conditions météorologiques défavorables s'ajoutent surtout les effets pervers d'une économie mondiale inadaptée. Le cercle vicieux dans lequel se meuvent nombre de pays en développement, et plus particulièrement les pays les moins avancés, dont, faut-il le rappeler, plus de la moitié sont africains, ne permet pas de résoudre la situation actuelle.

De manière schématique, car nous sommes malheureusement limités par le temps qui nous est imparti, nous pouvons dire que pour se développer les pays en développement ont besoin de financement pour mettre en oeuvre les mesures nécessaires. Or, ces pays sont écrasés par le poids de la dette extérieure qui leur impose des coupes drastiques dans leur budget et deviennent asservis au service de cette dette. De plus, comme le montrent clairement le document C 85/20 et en particulier les paragraphes 16, 18 et 19, le montant de la dette extérieure s'est amplifié ces dernières années et est passé de 1980 à 1984 de 30 à 40 pour cent du PIB des pays africains en développement, absorbant ainsi les quelques recettes d'exportations enregistrées; ceci, tant il est vrai qu'en général les délais de remboursement sont relativement courts car les emprunts s'effectuent sur des capitaux de banques privées et, de plus, sont contractés à des taux d'intérêts commerciaux acceptés quand même par les pays en développement, car indispensables.

Un autre aspect semble tout aussi important, c'est celui de la situation du marché international qui a du mal à accorder aux exportations des pays en développement les prix et la place appropriés qui leur permettent non seulement le remboursement de leurs dettes mais aussi, et surtout, de mettre en oeuvre une stratégie de développement national.

La conviction de mon pays est que la solution pour le réajustement de l’économie mondiale pourrait se trouver dans des négociations globales.

Lors du 21ème Sommet de l'OUA, en juillet dernier, les chefs d'Etat et de gouvernement africains ont entériné l'initiative algérienne de création d'un fonds spécial d'urgence pour les pays touchés par la sécheresse. Mais, pour permettre à ce fonds d'entamer des actions constructives, la contribution initiale des 10 millions de dollars de mon pays et d'autres contributions de pays africains ne suffisent pas à elles seules. Des contributions de grands pays donateurs sont espérées.

Avant de conclure, nous nous associons aux délégués africains pour inviter les délégués et représentants à cette vingt-troisième session de la Conférence de la FAO à approuver unanimement la résolution que le Groupe africain, appuyé par le Groupe des 77, doit présenter à leur intention.

D.K. YOMAN (Côte d'Ivoire\): Ma délégation voudrait, à l'instar de celles qui l'ont précédée, présenter ses condoléances émues au peuple colombien dans la dure épreuve qu'il traverse actuellement.

En donnant la parole à la Côte d'Ivoire en fin de séance, et quelques moments, je l'espère, avant la clôture des débats sur la question relative à l'angoissante situation alimentaire de l'Afrique, vous pensez bien que je ne vous infligerai pas un long discours. Je ne vous infligerai pas un long discours parce que beaucoup de mes collègues, délégués africains, ont, à juste titre, et dans un langage clair, responsable et sans détours, décrit la situation que vivent nos populations et cela depuis plusieurs années.

Point n'est besoin pour nous de vous décrire une situation que le monde entier connaît maintenant; tant les médias que les responsables politiques des différents Etats se sont apesantis sur cette réalité: la sécheresse, la pauvreté, la maladie et j'en passe...

L'Afrique toutefois, sachez-le, ne se présente pas à la communauté internationale pour mendier. Elle souhaite tout simplement pouvoir se passer de l'aide grace à votre aide. Sur ces graves problèmes dont la communauté internationale tout entière doit se sentir responsable et concernée, elle souhaite que les pays développés lui apportent le soutien financier et l'assistance technique et logistique dont ils sont capables, pour permettre à nos braves populations de vaincre ce cycle infernal que constitue la faim. Il n'y a pas que nos discours, nos paroles pour vous édifier sur l'urgente nécessité de nous apporter cette contrepartie, je dis bien contrepartie de l'aide dont finalement nous bénéficions tous grace aux effets induits qu'elle entraîne.

Il y a ici dans les tiroirs de la FAO, dans d'autres organisations internationales du systèmeonusien, par exemple au FIDA, il y a sur les bureaux de nos propres fonctionnaires nationaux,il y a à l'OUA, des solutions qui existent, des projets viables, élaborés avec votre collaboration,qui ne demandent qu'à être mis à exécution. Aidez-nous à les rendre opérationnels avec votreconcours. Aidez-nous pour éviter ce que le Président Mitterrand de la France évoquait dans sonallocution à la Conférence, à savoir que si les pays africains sombrent, tous les pays sombreront avec eux.

Ma délégation pense qu'il s'agit maintenant de passer aux actes. L'intelligence humaine et l'aide du Tout-Puissant qui semble nous ramener la pluie feront le reste.

Le chef de notre Etat, le Président Houphouët, disait le mois dernier s'adressant à des journalistes du monde entier, réunis dans mon pays à l'occasion de notre huitième Congrès politique, qu'il est écoeurant de voir qu'on creuse à plusieurs kilomètres de profondeur pour chercher du pétrole alors qu'au Sahel, l'eau se trouve à 1 000 ou 2 000 mètres et que l'on refuse de la faire jaillir pour rendre le désert vert. Tel est le vrai problème.

Nous attendons de tous les délégués ici présents un appui ferme et unanime au projet de résolution sur l'Afrique qui résume nos idées-force brillamment évoquées ce matin par l'Ambassadeur du Congo et qui sera présenté à cette 23ème Conférence.

En formant l'espoir que notre Conférence se penchera cette fois sur la situation de l'Afrique avec toute la lucidité et la foi que requiert son état de santé, je vous remercie, Monsieur le Président, d'avoir permis à la délégation de la Côte d'Ivoire de faire entendre sa petite voix.

A.R.M. BAHMAN (Kuwait) (original language Arabic): On behalf of the delegation of Kuwait I would like to thank the FAO for the efforts it has made in taking real action with regard to the crisis in Africa. We support the measures taken by the Director-General in order to draw up a programme to rehabilitate agriculture in Africa, which is intended to increase production there.

Following the FAO appeal, the Government of Kuwait has granted great food importance to security, in particular in Africa. The Government has urged all national institutions to make themselves aware of the needs, and there is a national committee to help the victims in Africa. All these institutions, companies and individuals are contributing to a fund which sends gifts in all shapes and forms, including teams of engineers and doctors who go out on a voluntary basis. Many are in different villages in African countries. Programmes are being carried out in relation

to the digging of wells, storage of grain and food, and the distribution of fertilizers in order to rehabilitate agriculture in the disaster areas. A committee will monitor these programmes and will involve the inhabitants of the village in order to safeguard what has been done and to make agriculture flourish.

We have contributed at all levels, in particular to world food aid. We try to inform all individuals and to make them aware of the importance of this enterprise. In the Council of Ministers we have asked all individuals to contribute a symbolic amount to be paid to a fund which would then be made available to the victims. We are making every effort to overcome famine in the world by means of our national institutions and by means of individual gifts.

E.G. MOYO (Tanzania): My delegation would like to express its deep sympathy to the people of Colombia where a disaster has just taken place. On behalf of my delegation I welcome the immediate response by the Director-General of FAO. Of course,we will support the measures which will be taken in this regard.

The document prepared by the Secretariat on The Critical Situation in Africa, supplemented bythe introductory speech of the Director-General, clearly gives an analysis of the real currenteconomic situation of the continent. Of course, Tanzania is included in that continent and
therefore we greatly support and endorse the contents of document C 85/20.

Tanzania has a population of about 21 million people. Its economy is predominantly agricultural. Most of the population is directly dependent upon agriculture. During the 1980s, a major feature of our economy has been the critical shortage of foreign exchange. By far the major component of exports has been agricultural products, while the major component of our imports has been petroleum products. Over the past eight years, petroleum imports have taken up a rapidly escalating proportion of foreign exchange. In 1977/78 they accounted for only 22 percent of the total value of imports, while by 1984/85 they had risen to over 60 percent.

Agricultural products provide over two-thirds of our export income and account for 90 percent of employment. Therefore, agriculture is one of the major sectors of the economy and has an important role to play in our economic recovery.

However, the economy has not performed well for a decade or more. The fall in the volume of exports of agricultural products has led to a fall in real purchasing power. The agricultural sector has been adversely affected through the waste of imported inputs and the acute shortage of consumer goods in the country. Food production has tended to stagnate and import requirements have rapidly risen. The fall in agricultural exports and related foreign exchange earnings, together with heavy debt servicing requirements, have led to unprecedented balance of payment problems and large food aid requirements. In fact, food aid currently covers the bulk of the nation's food imports.

The poor performance of agriculture in Tanzania has been attributed to adverse weather conditions, the unstable and frequent institutional changes affecting the economy and agriculture, the neglect of subsistence agriculture, poor marketing systems and transport, the low level of fertilizer use and resort to high quality imports such as certified seeds and pesticides. The lack of proper price policies are also important contributing factors.

In an .effort to turn the tide, the Government of Tanzania has embarked on a Structural Adjustment Programme which aims at stabilizing the internal and external accounts of the country, eliminating food shortages and increasing productivity. By recognizing the central role of agriculture in our economic recovery, and after identifying a number of constraints which have helped to explain the cause of the decline of agricultural products during the previous decade, the Structural Adjustment Programme set out a programme consisting of short-term crisis management, mainly concerned with macro-economic policies and a longer-term adjustment programme. After all these have been implemented we hope the crisis might be diverted or at least reduced. On that note, I will stop.

Sra. Y. GAGO (Costa Rica): Mi delegación, Sr. Presidente, felicita a la Secretaría por el excelente documento que estamos considerando y se une a las deliberaciones de las demás delegaciones apoyando toda ayuda a Africa para erradicar el hambre y la miseria. Deseamos que esta ayuda se prolongue a un largo plazo hasta alcanzar el desarrollo y la autosuficiencia agrícola y alimentaria. Apoyamos, por tanto, el proyecto de resolución presentado por el Embajador del Congo esta mañana.

D. KINZEL (Austria) (Original language German): Firstly, I would like to say to the delegation of Colombia how very sorry we are to hear of the terrible disaster which has struck that country.

I would like to say to the Director-General how grateful we are for his excellent introduction to this important item. Given its thorough knowledge of the situation in Africa, FAO pointed out the approaching dangers in good time. Thanks to the appeals for aid made by the Director-General and the measures so promptly taken in 1984 and 1985 in Africa, the worst was avoided.

The sufficient rainfall this year has meant that some countries, such as Malawi, Kenya and Zimbabwe, for example, have been able to produce surpluses which must find a proper outlet. Here I should like to join a number of previous speakers and refer to the importance of triangular transactions. The success which has been made should not be a cause for a reduction in help for Africa, but rather this opportunity should be taken in order to look towards longer-term development aid, in particular in terms of storage and so forth.

Allow me to refer to an area which deserves assistance from us all. We pay particular heed to the activities of FAO in the area of seed and seed provision. We think that the supply to farmers of quality seeds, together with pesticides and fertilizers, is a prior condition for the improvement agriculture.

These initiatives in this area by FAO will receive our full support. In this connection I should like to say that my country, in conjunction with FAO and local institutions, will undertake a training programme for East Africa. In the future we shall continue to support this very important activity in this vital area undertaken by FAO. Furthermore, we would like to mention that our contributions in the emergency reserve and the food aid agreement in particular in 1983, 1984 and 1985, will be used for the benefit of the African countries in distress.

Table 1 on page 4 of the document shows that the GDP in 1984 grew by 2.6 percent, but the per capita level is falling, and average earning in those countries of the Sahel zone is lower than it was 15 years ago. Therefore, measures must be taken in order to rehabilitate the economies of these countries, without which there can be no food security there. Here the south cooperation will particularly significant. The Austrian Delegation welcomes the Action Programme decided upon at the 21st Conference of the OAU and the recognition of the governments and heads of state that the responsibility for overcoming the severe economic crisis lies with them.

Africa will continue to need food aid, but food security is nearer over the horizon.

H.K. QUARTEY-PAPAFIO (Ghana): The crisis in Africa, as aptly described in Document C 85/20, has been highlighted by various ministers of agriculture and underlined in the addresses given at the Plenary by the Director-General and the President of Peru, Indonesia and France.

The Ghana delegation wishes to re-emphasize its deep concern about this downward trend in the economies of a number of African states listed in the document under consideration.

Our concern stems from the fact that instead of tackling systematically their planned national development programmes, most countries, including Ghana, have been compelled to devote their limited material and financial resources to solving problems caused by drought, bush' fires, spread of rinderpest disease and influx of displaced communities, while the external economic factors relating to the heavy debt burden, foreign exchange readjustment, depressed prices for export products, high prices of imported agricultural inputs - to mention a few - continued to assume a necessary preoccupation and a top priority over other national development plans and strategies.

It is, therefore, not surprising that these conflicting domestic and external factors which continue to affect our national goals and aspirations have contributed over the years to an unbearable and very dangerous situation, in which our food production has lagged behind demand, particularly in the face of increasing population growth, leading to ad hoc solutions such as recourse to food aid.

On the other hand, our inability to generate enough foreign exchange earnings through exports has led to frequent borrowing, increasing debt burden and a slow or stagnating economic growth. This is the paradox in which we find ourselves today.

In the light of this situation, Ghana wishes to express her appreciation and gratitude to FAO, which has been very much alive in its responsibilities by striving, over the past years, to find lasting solutions to some of the problems facing the African continent. The fact that the Organization has discharged its obligation to each and every country without any preconditions is an eloquent testimony to the ideals for which the Organization was founded in 1945.

Ghana's agriculture, which accounts for a high percentage of the gross domestic product - estimated at 53 percent in 1983, accounting for 80 percent of exports and employing 60 percent of the labour force - was adversely affected by the severe drought and widespread bush fires in 1982 and 1983, resulting in serious food shortages, reduced exports and a high inflation rate, which averaged as high as 75 percent.

However, thanks to FAO and various bilateral and multilateral assistance programmes, the country over the past two years has achieved substantial increases in the production of maize and other food crops, following the return of favourable weather conditions. The Ghana delegation, therefore, considers it appropriate to use this forum to thank all the international agencies and donor countries who have been of help to Ghana in providing technical material and financial assistance in the country's genuine efforts at rehabilitating her economy.

In particular, my delegation would like to thank the Organization for the provision of farm inputs to resettle Ghanaians returning from neighbouring countries, for training technical personnel to handle efficiently the storage and distribution of excess production of maize and other cereals, for strengthening our capability to control post-harvest losses and for various other assistance given to Ghana. All these measures are designed to overcome some of our problems and above all to establish a firm basis for sustained growth in agriculture and food production.

Despite the strenuous efforts being made by the Organization to solve the crisis facing the African continent, it is abundantly clear from the document under review that Africa cannot come out of the woods in the foreseeable future unless massive assistance is made available, especially to countries which are adversely affected by natural disasters and militating economic factors. The present fragility and uncertainty of our economy demand that every assistance given should be adequate enough to propel us beyond the danger line, beyond the distress, hunger and starvation facing the continent, while we pledge to relentlessly continue to pursue our national programmes so that, in the long term, we can establish ourselves not only as economically independent countries, but also as countries capable of contributing to the international cooperative effort on an equal basis in establishing a world free of disease, hunger and misery.

In conclusion, the Ghana delegation would like to reaffirm its continued confidence in the work of FAO, and to urge the Organization to pursue its initiatives towards the implementation of the world food security compact, the Agricultural Rehabilitation Programme in Africa, food aid for seriously affected countries as a short term measure, increased technical assistance programmes, and measures to control desertification in Africa.

The Ghana delegation suggests, in addition, expanding the application of FAO's Global Information and Early Warning System to cover other fields of agriculture, in addition to alerting countries on the vagaries of the weather and the effects of food production.

Finally, the Ghana delegation wishes to express its sympathy to the Government and people of Colombia for the unfortunate tragedy which has caused death, pain and suffering to many. We do commend the Director-General for his gesture in promising prompt assistance to the people affected by this disaster.

I congratulate the FAO Secretariat for this informative and valuable document and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to make this statement.

Mme J. COELHO DA CRUZ (Angola): C'est avec émotion et consternation que nous avons appris la nouvelle de la catastrophe qui a frappé la Colombie. Ma délégation profite donc de cette occasion pour présenter à son tour ses condoléances les plus émues à la délégation colombienne. Nous appuyons toutes les mesures qui seront prises par la Communauté internationale en général, par la FAO et le PAM pour venir en aide aux sinistrés.

Je voudrais donc en venir au point de notre ordre du jour pour apprécier la façon claire dont le document C. 85/20 a présenté la situation de notre continent. Nous tenons à remercier le Directeur général pour les efforts inlassables et l'intérêt constant qu'il accorde à la résolution des problèmes de l'Afrique.

Aujourd'hui, parler de l'Afrique c'est parler de la sécheresse et de la désertification; parler de l'Afrique c'est parler de l’apartheid. Voilà deux des éléments indissociables dont il faut faire mention dans le débat, car si ces deux fléaux ne sont pas combattus par les Africains et la Communauté internationale, toutes les projections économiques couvrant les zones africaines n'auront jamais de succès. En effet, la sécheresse, la désertification et l'apartheid n'ont qu'un dénominateur commun: destruction et ravages.

A part les mauvaises conditions écologiques qui secouent mon pays, il y a des agressions constantesdes des troupes racistes sud-africaines qui détruisent tout sur leur passage et infiltrent des bandits armés dans nos zones agricoles pour décourager notre lutte pour l’autosuffisance alimentaire. Cela étant, nous donnons pleinement notre accord à la proposition faite par le délégué du Congo pour que ce point soit inclus dans notre rapport et nous souhaitons que nos débats reflètent la véritable situation de l'Afrique.

La délégation angolaise exprime sa préoccupation quant à la lourde dette extérieure qui pèse sur nos économies. Si les recettes africaines des exportations ne servent pas à payer le service de la dette, nous nous demandons quel sera l'avenir du continent. Nous ne voulons pas que notre souveraineté africaine soit hypothéquée et nous appuyons la résolution de l'Assemblée générale aux Nations Unies portant sur l'organisation d'une session spéciale de l'Assemblée générale sur la situation en Afrique et son développement à long terme. En ce qui concerne les problèmes de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, nous souhaitons la présence de la FAO.

Avant de terminer, nous aimerions féliciter les initiatives du Directeur général dont nous sommes saisis, notamment la préparation du Plan du relèvement de l'Afrique et le transfert de 15 millions de dollars des Etats-Unis en faveur des pays africains gravement frappés par la sécheresse. Nous remercions la CEE de bien vouloir continuer à entreprendre des efforts avant d'éliminer les souffrances en Afrique. Nous appuyons le document présenté ce matin en faveur de l'Afrique par le Congo.

N.V.K.K. WEREGODA "(Sri Lanka): Allow me to join the-other colleagues in expressing our deepest sympathies to the Colombian delegation in the calamity that has befallen them.

Coming back to this question of the critical situation in Africa, at the very outset the Sri Lankan delegation wishes to express its deep concern about the critical situation in Africa which is very clearly highlighted in document C 85/20 prepared by the FAO Secretariat.

Africa's real GDP, which increased only 2.6 percent in 1984, and even less in Sub-Saharan Africa, is forecast to rise only by 2.2 percent in 1985. Agriculture rose by only 1.6 percent in 1984 in Sub-Saharan Africa, and in some countries the decline in per capita food production was more than 10 percent.

The inability of most African economies to adjust to adverse conditions has rendered them particularly vulnerable to external economic forces. Drought and adverse weather conditions is only one factor

in this critical situation. Depressed prices for exports and high interest rates have also been contributing factors. Total external debts of developing Africa rose from US$ 102.8 billion in 1980 to an estimated US$ 126.8 billion in 1984, and now account for almost 63 percentof GDP in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Sri Lankan delegation commends the FAO for the programme prepared by them for the Rehabilitation of Agriculture in Africa. Projects in this programme are small to medium in size, and designed to arrest, directly or indirectly, the present decline in food production.

The Sri Lankan delegation is also happy to note the initiative taken by the Organization for African Unity in adopting a special programme of Action for Improvement of the Food Situation and Rehabilitation of Agriculture in Africa at its Twenty-first Assembly of the Heads of State and Governments.

Food aid that has been provided by the developed countries in the crisis situation is only a very short-term measure to get over the immediate problem. What is required is a dedicated, consistent, long-term programme of agricultural development to resolve this crisis.

It needs a two-pronged attack.

Firstly, a full commitment by individual countries to develop their agricultural resources base to meet the food required by the people.

Secondly, an undertaking or understanding and willingness on the part of the developed countries, as indicated in their recent contributions, to provide all the support and facilities individual countries require, in their development efforts to become self-reliant. The Sri Lankan delegation feels that there are many lessons that the African countries can learn from other developing countries, especially from those in the Asian Region, that have managed to change the tide in their dependence and are now self-reliant in their food requirements. It is in this context that research, and more particularly adapted research, assumes priority importance in identifying what is more relevant to the individual country needs.

Finally, the Sri Lankan delegation takes this opportunity to commit its full support to provide all assistance to help in solving the African crisis. This has already been demonstrated by its small contribution to the World Food Programme in the year 1984.

J. GORECKI (Poland): First let me also join the other speakers and express our deep condolences and regrets to Colombia.

Turning to the document which we examined during this long Session, the Polish delegation wants to congratulate the Secretariat of FAO for preparing this document which gives us a very deep study on agriculture and food problems in Africa. Particularly, I would like tO stress that the most important features of this document are that it puts forward concrete measures for the consideration of African governments to intensify food production, particularly through the wider use of modern production inputs, and changing socio-economic policy in agriculture. On behalf of the Polish delegation, I would like to say that the Polish government and the Polish people

will continue their assistance given to the most needed African countries, particularly with regard to quantity in food aids and technical assistance in the distribution of food, and through the work of Polish voluntaries.

In addition, Poland would be also ready to join the efforts of other donor country members of FAO Trust Funds, with the aim of setting up and developing projects for the benefit of less developed African countries. In this area, assistance could be in kind and in technical work, as well as in local currency. Impressed by Dr Edouard Saouma's deep personal involvement to mobilize public opinion towards the African disaster and having in mind the competence of FAO staff, as well as the efficiency of FAO's food aid programmes, my government recently decided to present a group of fully qualified experts in animal health and animal production for the Director-General's disposal. Paid by my government, they will serve as volunteers within the framework of FAO activities in the most affected African countries.

H. de SILVEIRA SARDINHA PINTO (Brazil): The Brazilian delegation would like to join previous speakers and express its deep sympathy and condolences to the delegation of Colombia for the great catastrophe which struck their sister nation yesterday.

My delegation followed with great concern the dramatic food crisis that hit the African continent in the last few years, motivated by the combination of a number of structural problems with severe and prolonged drought.

My delegation strongly supported, during this period, the tremendous efforts the Director-General of FAO made to alert the world to the deterioration of the food situation in Africa, and consequently, to mobilize the international aid to face the problem and to provide the necessary relief to the suffering populations. It is now rewarding to see that much has been done, although the greatest task of rehabilitating the African agriculture has still a long and difficult way to go. In this regard, my delegation is pleased to verify that once again FAO has taken the lead to promote measures to support the rehabilitation efforts of the affected countries in Africa, by preparing an adequate programme for it. We feel that the agricultural rehabilitation programme in Africa has already received general support from developed countries, but we also believe additional efforts must be made to help launch the basis for Africa to find its own way in the improvement of its food and agricultural production and for it to achieve the full economic and social development of its people.

P. SKALIERIS (Greece): The situation in Africa calls for special concern, though not out of pessimism, as to development capacities of this continent. Natural factors, namely natural disasters and adverse climatic conditions, come as an addition to the already extremely negative consequences of what is considered to be the longest recession the continent has known in the post-war period.

The prolonged drought, the weakening of the soil due to excessive cultivation, the distortion in the ecological balance, the diminution of rural populations and, eventually, domestic policy deficiencies are additional factors which cause the severe decrease of agriculture and food production in Africa. To name but one example, grain per capita production now stands only as two thirds of the 1976 level.

The Greek Government tried to intensify its efforts to help in this critical situation. In addition to our contribution in the multilateral framework, our efforts have recently concentrated on emergency aid.

As regards this form of assistance, my Government, based on recent experiences, considers that there is yet room for improvement of practices and procedures for a more effective response to emergency food aid problems. The cause may best be served if the evaluation of the real dimensions of potential food shortages is timely, the coordination of external and domestic efforts closer, and the access of aid in the stricken areas easier, etc. The ultimate goal remains, of course, to avoid food crises altogether in the future. MY delegation believes that, despite today's difficulties, African countries facing food problems are not to be considered as perpetually condemned to food aid dependence. By properly using their production potential, they will be in a position to face their growing needs.

E. BONEV (UNDP): I would like to give a very brief account on the UNDP's response to the African food crisis and its modest contribution to alleviating the multiple problems facing the countries gravely affected in this continent. Accounts of African hunger and starvation capture world headlines less frequently these days, but the continent has yet to recover from its grave food crisis. An estimated 150 million people are still not getting enough to eat, and over 30 million remain severely at risk. Many more still struggle to recover from disease and other debilitating effects of starvation and chronic malnutrition. The 1985 rains were better than in many seasons past, but one favourable harvest will not end Africa's food shortage. With population growing faster than agricultural development in most countries, hunger and malnutrition are prevalent among the poor majority, even in good years. The continent's aggregate food production grew about 1.8 percent

a year between 1960 and 1980, before the most devastating drought years of 1983 and 1984. In Subsanaran Africa food output has fallen 20 percent over the past twenty years. African countries have made up the deficit by increasing cereal imports nearly sixfold since 1970. In 1984 almost one of four Africans were dependent on imported grains. Declining food production combined with population growth and reduced per capita income are key factors in the crisis. Many other factors, however, both human and environmental, have been cited as contributing to Africa's food deficit. Inadequate land use, land degradation, drought, outmoded agricultural techniques, insufficiency or lack of research, unfavourable pricing policies, neglecting of small and women farmers, lack of rural investments, poverty as focus of all. Twenty-six of the thirty-six LDCS are in Africa and have a per capita GNP of US$ 110.

UNDP made and will continue to make all possible efforts in the mobilization and delivery of immediate food and other emergency aid generously provided by the world community. You may recall that at thè request of the UN Secretary General, the UNDP Administrator, Bradford Morse, has become Director of the new office of Emergency Operations in Africa, whose tireless efforts are well known to everyone here.

UNDP Resident Representatives, who in most African countries are also Resident Coordinators of the UN assistance received, have been intimately involved in defining needs, communicating them to donors, and ensuring the timely delivery of relief supplies. But it is through assistance to the short, medium and long-term efforts of African countries to recover from the present crisis and set their systems of food production on a sound permanent footing that UNDP, together with its affiliated funds and programmes, and its close partners, the executing agencies, FAO among the major ones, is playing its primary role.

Of UNDP's total expenditure of US$548.7 million in 1984, US$156.1 million, or 28.5 percent were for national programmes in Africa south of the Sahara. In addition, African countries benefit substantially from regional, global, and inter-regional projects, for which total 1984. expenditures were US$105.3 million.

As of 1 September 1985, UNDP had a total of 1 655 ongoing projects in Africa south of the Sahara, for which a total of US$1,739 million had been allocated. Of these, 516 projects costing US$ 385.2 million were in the agricultural sector. Substantial activities benefiting African agriculture are also underway with financing from UNDP's affiliated funds and programmes, notably the UN Sudano-Sahelian Office, the UN Development Fund, the UN Development Fund for Women, the UN Volunteers, and the UN Financing System for Science and Technology for Development. I should not forget the most recently established UNDP Fund to combat poverty and hunger in Africa which was established in 1984. I should here pay tribute to the first contributor to this Fund, the Govern‐ment of Italy which offered over US$120 million for the benefit of three of the most affected African countries by the drought, namely Ethiopia, Sudan and Chad for rehabilitation and development projects.

These activities are addressing many of the fundamental constraints to enhanced food production in Africa. Compared with the continent's vast needs results are thus far modest in scale, but the programmes do suggest promising avenues for further development which could offer great hope for the future.

Over the past,three years UNDP has taken several initiatives to ensure the availability of increased resources for projects with a bearing on food production in Africa. It has focussed existing regular and supplemental resources on projects which affect food supply, including agricultural development, crop production, processing and storage, forestry, meteorology, drought management and development planning and public administration. It has redirected input towards production-oriented activities involving grassroots communities and aimed at stimulating their income generating potential. United Nations volunteers are being deployed to particular effect in this area.

In June 1984 UNDP's Governing Council approved a special allocation of US$ 1.5 million for additional UNVs to assist in meeting critical needs in Sub-Saharan African countries. UNDP has reinforced micro-economic policy formulation capabilities and the strengthening of government planning mechanisms. To effectively implement this programme UNDP has strengthened the capability of country offices in the most seriously affected countries through redeployment of existing staff and, in so far resources permit, including special funding mobilized, recruitment of additional personnel.

UNDP has reviewed UNDP-financed programmes in close consultation with Government and United Nations system agencies. Where feasible, they have been realigned to reflect highest priority requirements, focus on shorter term impact on affected populations, and provide technical assistance corresponding more directly to rehabilitation and the provision of basic human needs. I should emphasize here that we have never forgotten that the ultimate goal of the developing countries and the technical assistance cooperation activities is the self-reliance of the developing countries. UNDP has proposed to Governments a joint systematic assessment of human resources, constraints and institution building requirements as a prerequisite for the design of priority programmes and policies for the most effective use of national resources and technical assistance. UNDP has improved the round-table process of country consultations with donor governments based on experience gained so far. You may recall that UNDP has served as lead agency for roundtable meetings at the request of nearly all the African least developed countries.

Concluding, I should like to stress that the efficiency and impact of delivery are hardly less important in our work. In this connection, UNDP has listened to and acted on the views of governments which have focussed on various aspects concerning the quality and effectiveness of development assistance from the multilateral system. We strongly believe that a concerted effort is continously needed from all elements of the system to demonstrate to donors and recipients alike that their continued and increased confidence on material support are warranted. Improved coordination at the country level and better programme and project design have been recognized as important cornerstones of such efforts. UNDP will continue its efforts in this direction. The importance of coordination, as you may recall, was stressed by several delegations, and I would like to assure those delegations that I took very careful note of this. UNDP has enjoyed close cooperation and ties with FAO for many years in this respect, and we are fully confident that our joint and mutual efforts will continue to result in even more efficient and effective programme delivery. This is especially important in a continent like Africa where the needs are far beyond the limits of the aid flow.

P.A.L. de RIJK (Netherlands): First of all, we should like to transmit our condolences to the delegation and people of Colombia in regard to the disaster that has struck that country.

The document we are dealing with indicates that the food crisis in Africa has been reduced to more manageable proportions. This provides the possibility for a rehabilitation of agriculture in those countries affected and gives a better opportunity for preparation for the drought that is likely to come. In the meantime, substantial food aid remains necessary to maintain per caput food aid intake in Africa. My country hopes to contribute to the required rehabilitation project, as well as to provide part of the required food aid.

In the Table concerning the funding situation of FAO's Programme for the Rehabilitation of Agriculture in Africa, we are mentioned as an interested donor. Also in relation to this programme, we should like to come back at a later agenda point on the cooperation of FAO and other specialized agencies.

G. VASTA (Observateur de l'Organisation de coopération et de développement économique): Je voudrais vous dire pour commencer que dans ma brève intervention je mettrai tout mon coeur.

Permettez-moi d'abord d'exprimer à la délégation de la Colombie, si tristement touchée, les sentiments de ma vive solidarité et de mon émotion.

Dans ce concert de voix si noble et solidaire il n'est pas possible de rester muet sur tous ces problèmes si graves et d'importance vitale comme ceux de l'Afrique. La solidarité démontrée par tous les pays, sans regarder à leur importance ou à leurs possibilités a été unanime. Ce qui démontre que les hommes, mime ceux qui sont considérés comme les plus durs, ont une conscience et surtout un coeur.

Je me souviens avec émotion de l'élan avec lequel dans les années 60, au sein de l'OCDE, le groupe des amis du Sahel travaillait en attirant l'attention et l'admiration des pays développés.

L'oeuvre du DAC, au sein duquel j'ai eu la chance et l'honneur de connaître M. Lignon - dont je connais depuis toujours la haute compétence et son dévouement total à ces problèmes - démontre tout cela.

Le nombre des projets en cours de réalisation et les initiatives innombrables de ces dernières années attirent finalement l'attention du monde entier, et les recommandations des différents ministres, en particulier des ministres de l'agriculture qui se réunissent même au sein de l'OCDE, dénotent cette majeure prise de conscience pour les problèmes de la faim et de la malnutrition qui, nous pouvons le dire, restent depuis longtemps les problèmes les plus importants et les plus graves de la vie.

L'homme finalement, cet individu comme quelqu'un aime l'appeler, a compris que chaque homme sans distinction de couleur, de religion et de race, est notre frère.

L'OCDE, comme du reste l'a confirmé mon collègue M. Guérin hier soir, est et sera heureuse de pouvoir collaborer avec la FAO et de consacrer tout effort non seulement sur le plan théorique avec ses études, mais aussi avec l'exemple donné par les pays qu'elle représente, afin que l'on puisse finalement mettre fin à ce fléau de carence alimentaire, de la famine et de la mort.

Respecter nos frères comme nous-mêmes, signifie entre autres appliquer un des commandements le plus important dicté par le Bon Dieu Tout Puissant.

Je termine avec l'espoir que tous les programmes concernant l'Afrique, y compris celui de la relance, si important, surtout pour le long terme, puissent être entièrement approuvés et réalisés pour la sérénité et la vie des pays intéressés et pour la paix de nos consciences.

CHAIRMAN: Indonesia has submitted a written statement and requested the Secretariat to include it in the official verbatim report.

I. HASAN (Indonesia): Although the overall economic situation in Africa still remains difficult - high inflation rates, foreign exchange shortage, heavy indebtedness, the decline of primary' product prices - the food outlook for 1985/86 in Africa is much brighter than the situation in 1984/85 due to better climate and rain. However, the total food requirement will remain much higher than normal, and therefore a large amount of food assistance will still be needed (at least 3 to 3.3 million tons).

Food aid should be considered as temporary to cover structural deficits. However, what Africa immediately needs is the restructuring of agricultural rehabilitation and livestock, in order to eliminate food shortages and malnutrition.

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1/ Statement inserted in the verbatim records on request.