CHAIRMAN: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, distinguished delegates. First of all, of course, want to thank you for coming at this hour and I am full of hope that we can start now and, as you will remember, when we adjourned, we were still on the item concerning the Review of Field Programmes. The Secretariat had already responded to some queries, but the distinguished delegate of the United States of America had asked for the floor for a second time, presumably for another intervention or a question and I am glad to give her the floor.
Ms Joan DUDIK-CAYQSO (United States of America) : I just wanted to come briefly back to the coordination question for a moment because I detected a note of resignation in Mr Lignon's reply to some of the remarks my delegation made in their intervention. He said the coordination issue is difficult. We agree. That makes it all the more important for us all, including FAO, to try to do something about it. Of course Mr Lignon is right to remind us that the role of the government is primarily in coordination, but what donors, bilateral and multilateral do can make it easier or harder by how we do our business. Mr Lignon mentioned the question of coordination of technical assistance. That is exactly the point. The UNDP resident representative or the resident coordinator has this function.
My delegation must launch an appeal to FAO to see itself as part of this process and part of the solution to coordination problems. It is correct to say that round-tables and consultative groups deal with resource flows and investments but it is also correct, as Mr Lignon himself pointed out, that technical assistance and capital assistance resources need to be looked at in an integrated way. More and more technical assistance needs, in connection with other assistance, is a subject of review in consultative groups and round-tables.
I have listened to FAO respond to issues of coordination in this Body and in others. Sometimes I have the feeling that there is an attitude of "tout va bien". "Tout ne va pas bien". And we really seriously call on FAO to see these problems and work with the governments and other agencies and bilateral donors to try to solve them not to act as if "tout va bien".
Raymond S. LIGNON (Sous-Directeur general, Département du développement): Tout d'abord, je voudrais m'excuser parce que,compte tenu de l'heure tardive, j'ai répondu très rapidement.
Je voudrais rassurer tout de suite Madame la Déléguée des Etats-Unis et lui dire que nous sommes très favorables à une coordination. Les représentants de la FAO reçoivent des instructions très précises leur demandant d'assister et de participer aux réunions organisées par le Coordonnateur Résident avec la participation des donateurs bilatéraux. Et si j'ai dit que c'était très difficile, c'est parce que les évaluations faites - et Madame la Déléguée des Etats-Unis a pu s'en rendre compte si elle en a été informée - montrent que ces réunions ne sont pas toujours efficaces; et pourquoi ne le sont-elles pas? Je pense personnellement que la raison en est que l'on aborde le problème de la coordination sur un plan très global c'est-à-dire sur le plan de la coordination de l'ensemble des activités d'aides en capital et d'aide technique dans le pays. C'est évalué soit en capital, soit à travers des Tables Rondes et des Groupes consultatifs, soit en assistance technique par le biais du chiffre indicatif par pays.
Je disais qu'il me semblait qu'une coordination plus concrète et plus pragmatique pouvait se faire avec des donateurs et notamment les donateurs bilatéraux au niveau de secteurs beaucoup plus qu'au niveau global.
C'est ce que j'ai voulu indiquer et je m'excuse d'avoir été trop bref dans ma declaración tout à l'heure.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much, Mr Lignon. I hope this satisfies the distinguished delegate of the United States of America. And as you offered in your intervention before our adjournment, I think that the ways of dialogue are open within each delegation and the Secretariat on any subject.
Gonzalo BULA HOYOS (Colombia): La delegación de Colombia desea apoyar plenamente la declaración reciente que ha hecho nuestra colega y amiga la Sra. Gayoso, de los Estados Unidos. Consideramos que una de las partes más optimistas de este documento fue la referencia a que todo iba bien en materia de coordinación. Quienes tenemos contacto con nuestros países sabemos que esta afirmación no corresponde completamente a la verdad y pensamos que esa coordinación puede aún mejorarse para mayor beneficio de todos los países beneficiarios, los donantes y multibilaterales.
Quisiera preguntar al Sr. Lignon si la FAO considera que ha llegado ya el tiempo, después de tantos anos, de revisar y actualizar el famoso consenso.
Hemos intervenido también, porque ai final del debate, en la magnífica declaración que hizo el Representante del PNUD, el Representante de ese Programa dijo que estaba de acuerdo con la FAO, espero no interpretarlo mal, en el sentido de que había posibilidades de que se estabilizara, que es uno de los términos usados en el documento, el nivel de participación de la FAO en la ejecución de pro-yectos financiados por el PNUD. Dijimos en nuestra declaración, a esto no se respondió, que si acaso la FAO y el propio PNUD cuando hablan de estabilizar el nivel, están anclándose, están refiriéndose al 19 por ciento de 1986, o es que esperan superar ese nivel. ¿Qué se entiende por estabilización? Lamento prolongar el debate, pero son cosas importantes.
CHAIRMAN: I thank the distinguished delegate of Colombia. I have Canada on my speakers list but I think to proceed in an orderly fashion, since there was a specific question on the part of Colombia, I beg the indulgence of Canada if I give the floor to Mr Lignon to reply to this specific request if you agree.
Raymond S. LIGNON (Sous-Directeur général, Département du développement): Je crois que le problème de la stabilisation de la part de la FAO dans les programmes PNUD se pose de la façon suivante:
D'abord je ne crois pas que le critère financier soit le seul critère d'évaluation de nos relations avec le PNUD et qu'il y a des aspects qualitatifs qui sont peut-être beaucoup plus importants que les aspects financiers; je crois que ce n'est pas nécessairement en termes de projets que nous pouvons apprécier notre relation avec le PNUD par exemple, et quand on parle de stabilisation, je pense qu'il faut se référer à ce qui est dit dans la revue du Programme de terrain,à savoir qu'il y a un point très important qui est à long terme, la tendance à l'exécution des projets par les gouvernements et compte tenu de l'action que mène l'ensemble du système des Nations Unies en matière de formation, il serait normal que les pays aient de plus en plus la possibilité d'exécuter leurs propres projets. D'ailleurs, c'est ainsi qu'il est intéressant de noter que ce sont parmi les pays les plus avancés que se situent les cas les plus nombreux d'exécution par les gouvernements.
Il faut prendre des précautions là encore pour ne pas tomber dans le travers de l'aide financière plutôt que de l'aide technique, à la fin; lorsqu'un pays peut lui-même exécuter ses propres projets, cela veut dire concrètement qu'il n'a pas besoin d'assistance technique puisqu'il demande simplement d'avoir un moyen de financement pour exécuter les projets que son administration propre lui fera.
C'est pourquoi je vous disais qu'il y a peut-être des modalités qui permettraient d'apporter une assistance technique tout en favorisant l'exécution par les gouvernements. Je pense d'ailleurs que l'exécution par les gouvernements a un très gros avantage; elle assure un meilleur suivi du projet. Je pense que lorsque le gouvernement exécute lui-même un projet, il est plus à même de le suivre, de le poursuivre que lorsqu'il reçoit une aide pour le faire fonctionner.
Cela veut donc dire que quand on parle de stabilisation de la part de la FAO cela signifie qu'en termes financiers on peut parler de stabilisation, mais qu'il y aura certainement un changement de nature et c 'est le point le plus important, snvoir quelle est l'aide que la FAO peut le plus efficacement apporter tout en favorisant les changements dans la nature de l'aide en général. Et je pense que si l'on réussit cette opération sans démagogie - parce que je crois qu'il faut éviter la démagogie dans ce domaine -, avec des précautions ensuite, même si notre part dans les programmes PNUD n'augmentent pas, nous pourrons, soit par le nombre des projets, soit par la nature de nos interventions, continuer à rendre d'éminents services dans des projets financés par le PNUD.
Voilà ce que je voulais dire à propos de la stabilisation.
En ce qui concerne le consensus auquel le représentant de la Colombie fait allusion, je crois que ce qui est un peu préoccupant, y compris dans ces problèmes de coordination, c'est que plus le PNUD devient une agence d'exécution; de plus, le Coordonateur Resident a une position ambigüe pu i squ ' i 1 porte une fois la casquette de coordonateur et une autre fois la casquette de coordonné, si je puis dire, et que cette position un peu délicate le met en mauvaise posture, non seulement vis-à-vis des autres agences du système des Nations Unies, mais dans de nombreux cas, vis-à-vis des organisations d'aide bilatérale. J'ajoute que ta preuve que ce problème n'est pas posé en l'air, c'est que le rapport Jansson auquel la déléguée des Etats-Unis faisait référence soulève cette question et suggère que peut-être le résident coordonateur devrait avoir un autre statut, un autre financement, un autre moyen de recrutement et beaucoup d'autres choses encore. C'est pour toutes ces raisons que je considère que le problème n'est pas simple et ne doit pas être vu au niveau des concepts seulement.
En ce qui concerne les relations entre la FAO et le résident coordonateur, compte tenu des enquêtes que nous avons menées, que le PNUD a menées, que le rapport Jansson évoque, on peut dire que les cas où i 1 y a des difficultés dans la coordination relèvent beaucoup plus de relations personnelles entre les différents représentants des agences que de problèmes de déontologie ou de mauvaises relations entre les agences. En réalité les cas de difficultés sont fort peu nombreux non seulement de notre part à nous - et M. Régnier ou moi nous rencontrons pratiquement tous les représentants résidents et coordonateurs qui viennent à Rome -, mais de la part des coordonateurs eux-mêmes qui dans de nombreux cas nous font des compliments sur l'aide que le représentant de la FAO leur apporte.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you for your extensive reply. Î hope that at least for this stage that is satisfactory to the delegation of Colombia.
R. MACINTOSH (Canada): We appreciate Mr Lignon's offer to answer specific questions that we posed during our intervention on FAO's internal Field Programme Committee as well as the development of a project cycle approach to its programmes. We introduced these questions because we thought that answers to them may be of sufficient general interest to the entire Commission, and we felt they would benefit from a discussion of how FAO was taking charge of the management issues it faces in running the Field Programme. However, Mr Lignon has kindly offered to provide my delegation with some material, and we accept that offer.
With reference to the point made earlier by my colleague from the United States, may I say that our delegation takes these questions very seriously also. We were a little bit troubled by the complacency shown in the document and in this question as well as from the tone of the remarks by Mr Lignon and some other delegates, I must say. We think it is really a change of attitude that is required, not only from FAO but from all of us, bilateral donors and multilateral organizations. We have to work together on this. We thought the complacency was evident in the document at one point where whoever wrote the document seemed to pass off any remaining problems simply as personality difficulties between the resident coordinator and the FAO representative, or something like that.
Good intentions, as were evident from Mr Lignon's statement, are encouraging. However, concise strategies are a little more attractive. Only firm results can be considered as proof of the pudding. We hope there might be continued progress towards achieving a concerted approach to food security and agricultural development. We are going to face a period of constrained resources and increased demand in the next decade and we must work together to resolve this problem, hopefully once and for all.
CHAIRMAN: I think your remarks are very well taken note of, and since coordination is a matter which cannot be too perfect I am sure that all parties concerned will strive to improve, as you have put it, this coordination and that we will be able to eat more of this pudding you have alluded to. If there are no other countries wishing to take the floor I would conclude that we have finished this item and can now proceed to item 19. This item is concluded.
CHAIRMAN: This item refers to the United Nations World Food Programme and the related document is C 87/LIM/5. The item also includes a draft resolution for the Conference which should be discussed by our Commission for eventual reference to the Plenary of the Conference. As distinguished delegates are all aware, this i term has been the subject of many meetings in FAO and especially also in the CFA, which is the Committee on Food Aid Programmes and Policies. Since the gist of the item concerns the pledging target for the regular resources of WFP for the 1989-90 biennium and since during the discussions which took place in other instances, including the CFA and the Council of FAO, this target fixed at 1 400 million dollars was approved by these institutions I am referring to.
Another element is that since we are at this late hour perhaps I might venture to suggest that wo approve the resolution included in the document without further discussion, on the understanding of course that the floor is open to any delegation wishing to make comments. However, I repeat that we want to. expedi te our work. We have discussed and rediscussed and approved and re-approved our target several times; so perhaps I am not too bold in proposing to the audience this approval, I will not say by acclamation but perhaps by consensus. That is my proposal.
Antoine SAINTRAINT (Belgique): Je ne peux que soutenir la proposition très constructive quo vous venez de faire. Je crois que les problèmes du Programme alimentaire mondial ont été largement débattus au cours des deux comités des politiques et programmes d'aide alimentaire qui on été tenus, cette année, et qui ont été particulièrement positifs.
Je soutiens la proposition que vous faites. Je crois que le projet de résolution qui nous est soumis peut.obtenir le consensus de tous les membres.
Je me pose simplement la question - et je demanderai peut-être au Directeur exécutif adjoint ce qu'il en pense - de savoir si, dans l'avenir, il ne serait pas souhaitable de tenir la Conférence des annonces de contributions en collaboration entre le Programme alimentaire mondial et la FAO ici, à Rome, au lieu de demander au Secrétaire général des Nations Unies de convoquer spécialement une conférence des annonces de contributions au siège de i'Organisation des Nations Unies, à New-York, pour le début 88. Il est clair que l'annonce des contributions pourrait se faire sans aucune difficulté par l'ensemble des pays ici à Rome. Cela simplifierait peut-être les choses et éviterait des frais qui me paraissent inutiles.
Je ne demande pas qu'on le retire de la résolution qui nous est soumise car cela provoquerait certaines difficultés; mais je me demande si,à l'avenir pour simplifier les choses, on ne pourrait pas annoncer les contributions à Rome.
Nous avons quand même une série d'instances responsables des activités du Programme alimentaire mondial et je crois que l'annonce de contributions pourrait aussi bien se faire par les représentations permanentes ici à Rome, au lieu d'envoyer un télex à nos représentations permanentes à New York pour faire la déclaration que nous aurions pu faire ici. Cela simplifierait les choses.
Je désirais simplement soulever très brièvement ce point en vous signalant, une fois de plus, que je me rends totalement à l'avis que vous venez d'émettre.
CHAIRMAN: I am certain that your very interesting proposal has been noted. Of course I will give the floor to the Deputy Executive Director to comment on it, but before doing so I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cuba.
Marcos I. NIETO LARA (Cuba): Un comentario muy breve. Pensamos que, como ha dicho el distinguido Embajador Saintraint recientemente, las actividades del PMA han sido sometidas a un examen cuidadoso. La conclusión de este CPA es que el programa marcha satisfactoriamente, goza de excelente salud, a pesar de las dificultades por las cuales estamos atravesando y nos parece muy sensato y muy práctico que aprobemos esta Resolución de inmediato. Quisiera también sumarme al criterio de buscar mecanismos mas ágiles. Algunos países en desarrollo a veces tenemos dificultades para asistir a estas reuniones del Comité de Colocación de Productos, y nos parece que en Roma hay una representación suficientemente amplia como para poder hacer esta reunión sobre contribuciones aquí en Roma.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much, Cuba, especially for your support for the acceptance of the resolution by consensus.
Gonzalo BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Estamos de acuerdo, Sr. Presidente, con usted en que es muy tarde y que este tema se ha discutido en otros foros, pero estamos esperando que por lo menos se produjera una declaración por parte del Director Ejecutivo Alterno, el Dr. Ahmed, quien ha venido a represen-tar al Director Ejecutivo Sr. Ingram, bajo la furia del vendaval de la naturaleza esta noche. No vamos a prolongar el debate, pero intervenimos después de que nos ha estimulado la primera declara-ción del Embajador Saintraint quien acaba de presidir con gran competencia el CPA en este año 1987, y también la declaración de nuestro colega Nieto, de Cuba, porque pensamos que la Conferencia como máximo organismo de la FAO no debería limitarse simplemente a adoptar este proyecto de resolución, sino que conviene que en la parte de nuestro informe sobre este tema se consignen por lo menos algu has consideraciones fundamentales.
Nosotros pensamos que no obstante apoyar la meta invariable de 1 400 millones para el bienio 89/90 lamentamos que esa meta no haya sido más elevada, de manera tal que correspondiera a la eficacia con que trabaja el Programa y al hecho de que el PMA es el único organismo del sistema de las Naciones Unidas que no ha sido víctima de la crisis que afecta el multilateralismo. Sin embargo, tomamos nota de que el Director Ejecutivo dice haber sido realista ai hacer esta propuesta y asegura que con ella podrá mantener su nivel actual de compromisos o aumentarlo a la luz de la posible variación de los precios.
También pensamos que en nuestro informe debe constar la actitud positiva del PMA que frente a la situación de liquidez, situación que es sólida, ha decidido absorber gastos de descarga de barcos fletados en. países beneficiarios. Creemos que esto es importante, porque sabemos que muchos países beneficiarios han tenido dificultades en el descargue de los productos por la carencia de infraestructuras adecuadas.
También pensamos que en nuestro informe debemos reiterar una vez más el apoyo a la compra de productos en los países en desarrollo. Particularmente las transacciones triangulares cuyos beneficios todos conocemos. Somos conscientes de que ya el Consejo apoyó unánimemente este objetivo de promesas 1989/90 y debemos insistir tal como se dice ya en el informe del Consejo y también en el texto mismo de la resolución en la necesidad de que los donantes hagan esfuerzos para que se alcance el objetivo en su totalidad.
En toda la historia del PMA, en sus 24 años de existencia, nunca ese objetivo se ha alcanzado completamente, de manera que pensamos que esto también convendría que se incluyera en el informe; pero la propuesta de Bélgica, que apoyó Cuba, naturalmente también estaríamos en favor de agilizar el mecanismo siempre que la Secretaría del PMA considere que esta innovación pueda representar beneficios y no cause dificultades en la celebración de la Conferencia de Promesas que tradicionalmente se ha celebrado en la Sede de las Naciones Unidas de Nueva York.
Finalmente, acogemos complacidos su propuesta de que la Conferencia aprueba por unanimidad este proyecto de resolución como el mejor voto de confianza a la forma dinámica, eficaz y competente como trabaja el Programa Mundial de Alimentos.
CHAIRMAN: Please do not think that I wanted to deprive Mr Ahmed of his right to introduce the item, but I thought 1 had his tacit consent to open the debate in the fashion 1 did. of course I would not wish at all to prevent any delegate from expressing appreciation of the World Food Programme, an appreciation which was expressed so many times that I think the message is already there. But now I want to give the floor to the delegate of Canada.
R. MACINTOSH (Canada): I was going to reserve my remarks until we heard from Mr Ahmed. In fact I was very much looking forward to hearing from him. I am prepared to join any consensus that you may propose in order to handle this discussion, but I feel compelled to point out to our colleague from Belgium that any discussion of the locale of the Pledging Conference surely is something which should be developed within the appropriate governing body of the World Food Programme, the CFA. So, Mr Chairman, I would propose that you turn over the mantle to Mr Ahmed and he can introduce the topic very capably, as we expect him to do, and then if there are comments we can deal with them at that time.
CHAIRMAN: But I take it that you are ready to join the consensus. Of course I will turn the floor over to Mr Ahmed, but perhaps we can wait for e prologue instead of an epilogue, since many countries have asked for the floor. So may I give the floor to Ethiopia.
Assefa YILALA (Ethiopia): Mr Chairman this is the first time that we have taken the floor since you started chairing this Commission and we would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you upon your election.
Since we were members of the CFA and also we have discussed this matter in the Council, we have the same opinion as you, Mr Chairman, that we will have no difficulty endorsing the recommendations and resolutions contained in document C 87/LIM/5. Wc felt that this is a matter upon which there will be no difficulty as far as the question as placed by you is concerned. But then, like the Ambassador of Colombia and also later the delegate of Canada, we also felt that the presence of the Deputy Executive Director amongst us would give us some enlightenment on some recent developments and we thought that he should be given a chance to present some of the latest things that developed since the last Council meeting. We want to air this view of providing a chance for Mr Ahmed to present whatever he has to présent for us today and then would be reserving our right to comment on his presentations.
CHAIRMAN: That was indeed my intention. There are four other speakers on my list and then I will give the floor to Mr Ahmed and of course every country has the right to comment after the statement of Mr Ahmed.
James Samson KAIRD(Kenya):We too would like to add our voice to the other speakers who have spoken before us on this issue. Looking at the resolution as it is, we also had the same view, that with the presence of the Deputy Executive Director, Mr Ahmed, probably we would like the introduction as it is always the routine, so that we may as well come in and comment. We are very grateful, particularly to this Programme, but before we hear from Mr. Ahmed we would probably just say we endorse the resolution as it is.
A.K.M. Fazley RABBI (Bangladesh): We too support the proposal from the Chair, but I raised the flag being that wo wore being deprived of the lucid presentation by the Deputy Executive Director, so at this point we join others and say that the target which is realistic and pragmatic received unanimous support of all the Member Nations, both in the CFA as well as is the Council. So we take this chance to reiterate our full support to the target and also to the adoption of the Draft Resolution.
CHAIRMAN: I see that everyone is anxious to listen to Mr Ahmed, but again I beg your indulgence. I have only two speakers left.
Raphael RABE (Madagascar): A cette heure tardive de la nuit, notre délégation limitera son intervention en déclarant que le Gouvernement malgache apprécie vivement l'aide précieuse que le PAM nous apporte et celle qu'il prodigue en général aux pays en développement.
L'assistance du PAM correspond aux besoins prioritaires de notre économie. Elle tient compte de notre programme de développement. Le PAM a toujours su soutenir nos efforts de programmes et nos efforts d'ajustements structurels.
La délégation malgache encourage le PAM dans son effort de dynamisation de ses activités dans son souci permanent de s'adapter aux besoins particuliers de chaque pays tout en veillant à ce que ses opérations profitent en priorité aux groupes cibles, ceux pour lesquels il a été créé.
Notre délégation félicite le Secrétariat pour la clarté de ce document et accorde son appui sans réserve au projet de résolution qui figure en annexe.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you. I have the pleasure of giving Mr Ahmed the floor.
Salahuddin AHMED (WFP): I thought I had escaped the honour of making a statement before this Commission under your Chairmanship considering the late hour and your convenience.
I am happy and I feel honoured that I am here at this Commission to speak on behalf of the Programme, on the pledging target of the Programme for the next biennium, that is, 1989-90.
Mr Chairman, the CFA, as you have rightly mentioned in your introduction, has recommended the target which the FAO Council has commended to you for the Conference's approval. In a parallel action, the United Nations General Assembly's Second Committee has supported the target on the basis of an ECOSOC Resolution. In doing so it also expressed the hope that resources would be augmented by substantial additional contributions from other sources. There is not much that I can add to the appreciative deliberations of those bodies, but I take this opportunity, as I have been asked to do, to apprise the Conference of some of the activities of WFP to put the target in perspective.
Thanks to the confidence placed in it by donors and recipients alike, WFP now handles about a quarter of the world's food aid and has emerged as the largest provider of aid, among all UN agencies, that directly reaches the world's poor - landless peasants in Bangladesh, malnourished children in Latin America, homeless refugees in Somalia. If there is a problem we are facing now it is one of growth - growth in expectation, growth in the complexity of operations, and growth in excellence.
It has been our direct focus on the poor that has set the course for us as we seek to enhance the design and implementation of our food aid projects, strengthen our logistics capability and improve our management structure. In the crucible of the African crisis, the Programme met its toughest challenge and faced in with courage and commitment. In the wake of that crisis, the scope of the Programme's operations has continued to expand. Last year, WFP shipments climbed to an all-time high of 2.25 million tons of food drawn from our own resources, the International Emergency Food Reserve and bilateral donors.
Our food purchases also achieved a new record of 567 000 tons in 1986 - 3 out of 4 tons of it from the developing world and 2 out of 5 from Africa. So far in 1987, we have exceeded even that record and purchased 585 000 tons. Of this total, 410 000 tons are from developing countries.
Understandably, there are attendant difficulties with such purchases, but they have decided developmental advantages, particularly in promoting South-South cooperation. Unfortunately, the deteriorating food situation we are beginning to see now in some of Africa's stronger producers - most notably Malawi and Zimbabwe - will likely prevent us from repeating these large purchases next year. It is, however, our firm commitment to buy in Africa for Africans whenever possible, and we plan to increase our funding for food purchases from the Third World in the next biennium.
The overall character and direction of our food aid projects have not varied significantly in recent years. In 1986, for example, 84 percent of the 1.8 million tons of food we committed to development projects, largely of the food-for-work variety, went to low-income, food deficit nations. Fifty-six percent went to the least developed countries - a high figure given the LDC's share of the developing country population. We continue to have a very high proportion of our commitments to development projects in Africa, roughly 38 percent last year.
As in the past, agriculture and rural development accounted for the lion's share of the $629 million we committed to development projects in 1986, receiving 81 percent of the total. The remaining 19 percent went to human resource projects such as education and health with a strong emphasis on mother and child health programmes.
I realize that all of these percentages are a bit abstract. To give you an idea of the "real world" effects of what WFP does: in the Ethiopian highlands, for example, there are now millions of saplings and trees growing on thousands of kilometres of terraced hillside, planted through the largest food-for-work project in Africa. This represents a massive contribution to that country's struggle to contain erosion and revive farming.
To combat food emergencies, accentuated by seemingly inexorable rise in refugees and displaced people, we committed $183 million last year. The need for emergency food aid is again rising and rising rapidly, largely because of the deteriorating conditions in Africa. It already appears that we will barely be able to meet the demands for 1987 for emergency food aid requirements. At the present rate of new emergencies we certainly will not have a carryover into 1988, in spite of the good response from donors for extra allocations.
Strengthening our ability to deliver food quickly and efficiently has been the Programme's highest priority in this area. When it comes to logistics, Africa is a harsh teacher and we learned a great deal from the African famine. We continue to make progress the hard way, prompted by the difficulties and dangers inherent in emergency operations, like our ongoing drive to bring food to victims of civil strife and drought in Ethiopia, Mozambique and the south of Sudan.
Despite worsening conditions in much of sub-Saharan Africa, we have had a measure of success. In the food pipeline to southern Sudan, WFP's newly formed logistics branch is organizing truck convoys, though with serious interruptions from time to time, and great risks not only to carry our own food, but also to deliver the relief goods of several NGO's. In Mozambique, the Programme is providing crucial coastal transport in the overall relief effort. We have, at the moment, stationed logistics coordinators in various parts of the country to provide essential information feedback and coordinate logistics for what has become a massive operation.
Operating conditions in Ethiopia are not just difficult; I am sorry to say they are dangerous even. I am sure many of you read the newspaper accounts of how WFP trucks were attacked and burned while attempting to deliver food to Eritrea last month. Despite this setback, we have persisted in our food deliveries and trucks are now moving into the north, though the situation remains precarious. Just three months ago, we issued a warning about the deteriorating conditions in Ethiopia. If we are to avoid another catastrophe there, we must be absolutely sure that we have the resources forthcoming and the ability to deliver them. The WFP Transport Operation in Ethiopia (WTOE) has therefore been extended into 1988 to cope with the situation. Donors have been approached for funds to procure additional transport, spare parts and workshop facilities. We are in constant touch with them.
In a separate effort to increase our global food aid information capability - vital to planning of shipments - the Programme is currently working on an International Food Aid Information System. This will be a computerized international data-sharing system designed to distribute information on food aid commitments and movements. It builds upon our operating system during the African crisis. It should be able to quickly provide both donors and recipient s with detailed information that will improve food aid management. The distance we have travelled in strengthening our logistics and information capability is considerable indeed. It is highly gratifying that this capability of the Programme has received the appréciation of the international community and the UN system.
The Programme has taken some steps to strengthen its internal management following the first independent review in about two decades. We have begun to implement measures on an interim basis, including a new, more field-oriented organizational structure. Our long-term goals in this exercise, as I indicated earlier, are to develop and implement projects more effectively, sharpen our logistics ability and improve our emergency preparedness.
May I also take this opportunity to mention a most welcome initiative by the Italian Government which has a direct bearing on our budget and working conditions. It has formally committed itself to providing WFP with a new headquarters here in Rome for which a headquarters agreement will have to be signed. I am pleased to report that the Director-General of FAO and the Secretary-General of the United Nations are moving swiftly to negotiate such an agreement. We are grateful to them for this.
You are also undoubtedly aware, Mr Chairman, that in the last few years, the World Food Programme and the FAO have worked to forge a new, more effective partnership. Our collaboration is progressing smoothly. Our resources position remains fundamentally sound. So far for this biennium, donors have pledged $1,069 million which is about 76 percent of the target. The prospects are good and the final result for 1987-88 should surpass the $1,100 million pledged for 1985-86. With these encouraging figures, we are looking forward to thé next pledging conference set for February 9th in New York.
If I may here respond to only one point that was made by the distinguished Ambassador of Belgium, and our past Chairman, actually the Pledging Conference is convened by mutual consultation between the Secretary-General and the Director-General and it has traditionally been held in New York but we take note of the point and then we shall see.
Now coming back to the resource position of the pledging target, I am coming to the end of my statement which 1 initially intended not to deliver; you have before you a recommended pledging target of $1,400 million for the 1989-90 biennium. This target level, we believe, is realistic under present circumstances. It is the same as for the current biennium. The CFA chose this level because it considered it prudent to set a target that is attainable. It also felt confident that this will provide a stimulus to donors to achieve it and that with another attempt, $1,400 million could be reached.
Finally, the challenges facing WFP are likely to intensify rather than diminish in the next few years. In Africa alone, 40 percent of cereal imports are now in the form of food aid and that figure will not decline soon. Political conflicts in Asia, Africa and Latin America have added millions to the ranks of refugees in the last few years, further building the demand for food aid. All these pressures give added meaning and significance to the WFP Pledging Target before you. They make the continued support of your governments that much more crucial for the World Food Programme and the poor and hungry of the developing world. We are hopeful that such support will be forthcoming in the next pledging conference.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much, Mr Ahmed, for the very extensive intervention which I have assumed will satisfy many delegations but 1 see many flags going up and that would mean that we will continue our discussion.
Mme Anna Teresa FRITTELLI ANNIBALDI (Italy): In the course of the World Food Programme Review undertaken by the Committee on Food Aid Policies and programmes at its 21st session the Italian delegation shared many delegations' concern that the pledging targets in the past had not been reached, so it was in full agreement with the Executive Director's realistic approach of setting a target based on the position of the current biennium so that it could be attained in full and facilitate the programming project planning and management.
In response to the request made to donors to increase their pledges for the current biennium and aware of the importance that the World Food Programme should intensify its efforts to buy more food from developing countries out of the Programme's own resources, the Italian Government has increased its cash contribution for 1987 of Lit 3 billions, more specifically destined to World Food Programme management triangular action reaching to the 30 percent of cash contribution allocated for this purpose.
The Italian delegation also announced its intention to double its voluntary contribution to the World Food Programme for 1988 and to increase the 1988 contribution to the European operation from Lit. 5 to 7 billion.
As you may be aware, at the time of the convening of the Pledging Conference in early 1988, the Italian Parliament will not yet have ratified the formal commitment to the World Food Programme for the biennium 1989-90. The intensified effort presently made by the Italian Government is a recommendation of the value of multilateral food aid as implemented by the World Food Programme since its inception and a demonstration of our confidence in this performance of the Programme whose services are called for by the Italian cooperation also to carry out bilateral actions of a particular complexity.
The Italian delegation is therefore pleased to give full support to the Conference Resolution on the target of world food pledges for the biennium 1989-90.
Angus Edward MACDONALD (Australia): I take the floor because I simply did not want to be deprived of an opportunity where I could actually say "yes" to a budgetary proposal during the Conference. As delegates may be aware, Australia has supported , at the Committee on Food Aid and at the FAO Council, the pledging target for 1989-90 of US $1 400 million. We would certainly like to commend the Executive Director for proposing this realistic and, we believe, achievable figure. It is set at the same level as the current biennium, 1987-88, and we feel it is set with full recognition of the need for restraint in agencies programme budget, while still attempting to meet needs of food deficit developing countries. I think the Deputy Executive Director Mr Ahmed can assume that the brevity of my statement is positively correlated to the satisfaction we hold for the World Food Programme.
Goran ANKARBERG (Sweden): I should like to take this opportunity to thank the Deputy Executive Director for his lucid introduction to this point of the agenda. The active support of Sweden in favour of the World Food Programme is well known and I do not need to repeat it here. The fact that the estimated budget for the year 1988-89 could be accepted by broad consensus was, in our view, a further expression of the confidence member countries have in the World Food Programme, its management and staff. We are confident that the decision to implement the major part of the recommendations of the Consultants Organizational Review will even further improve the effectiveness of the operation of the World Food Programme.
My delegation was pleased to note that the CFA unanimously approved the pledging target for the regular resources of the World Food Programme for the year 1989-90 at US $1 400 million. We regard this target as realistic and urge all donors to fully meet this target. With these words I commend the adoption of the resolution before us. Finally, Sweden feels strongly that the Pledging Conference should continue to be held in New York.
Marcos I. NIETO LARA (Cuba): Por favor Señor Presidente discúlpeme por hacer uso de la palabra por segunda vez. Quiero ser realmente muy breve. Voy a reiterar nuestro sí a la Resolución categórica, apoyando plenamente esta Resolución. Quisiera saludar al Sr. Ahmed por la presentación que nos ha hecho. Hubiese sido muy triste que no hubiéramos podido contar con su exposición sobre lo que está ocurriendo en el Programa para que la Conferencia pueda recogerlo en su informe.
Mi Delegación desea destacar sinceramente el valioso trabajo que viene realizando el Programa Mundial de Alimentos, la dinámica que ha desarrollado en la gestión y su capacidad para adaptarse a las diferentes circunstancias de urgencia, que, como sabemos se han venido produciendo en los tiempos recientes.
También queremos señalar nuestro acuerdo en la dirección que ha venido manifestando el PMA para orientar los recursos cada vez más hacia el desarrollo, sin desatender las necesidades de urgencia en cuanto a la ayuda alimentaria.
La meta que ha sido propuesta de 1 400 millones nos parece realista, pero estamos convencidos y abri-gamos la esperanza de que la capacidad ejecutoria del Programa Mundial de Alimentos pueda promover nuevas aportaciones y estimular a ios donantes para seguir en su beneficiosa labor.
ZHANG YESUI (China) (original language Chinese): First of all, I should like to thank Mr Ahmed, the Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme for his introduction of this agenda item. The delegation of China very much appreciates the contribution made by the World Food Programme to agricultural development in low-income developing countries. Experience has shown that food aid is an important instrument to combat hunger and malnutrition. Since 1979 China has been receiving assistance from the World Food Programme and we have been working on the basis of food against work. Food aid is a very important catalyst that has allowed the Government of my country at various levels to invest sizeable amounts of funds, labour and materials in agricultural development, fisheries, livestock breeding, water management and the building of roads in rural areas. All this has given very positive results which may serve as examples.
Food aid not only creates jobs in rural areas but also increases the incomes of farmers who obtain good economic results and modifies the entire situation in rural areas improving the environment. However, hunger and malnutrition still exist in the world while at the same time some countries have food surpluses. It is essential to strengthen the work of the World Food Programme. We strongly support Mr Ingram's proposal and the target for pledges at US $ 1 400 million for 1989-90 and we hope that governments will support this programme. Our Government will be supporting the programme. As other countries, we hope that the target of the World Food Programme for 1989-90 will be approved by consensus.
Ms. Anna-Liisa KORHONEN (Finland): I should like to thank the Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme for his very interesting introductory statement. Food aid is playing an increasingly important role in the development process. Today food aid conitutes approximately 10 percent of ail development assistance. In sub-Saharan Africa the share is nearly 25 percent. Apart from the quantity also the quality of food aid had has significantly improved. Food aid is regarded as an integral part and complementary resource to enhance development, particularly in rural and agricultural sectors. This development approach has created new and innovative ways to use food aid to alleviate poverty and malnutrition without disturbing normal patterns of production and marketing in recipient countries.
The pledging target of the World Food Programme's biennium 1989-90 was approved by the CFA during its 23rd Session. The targe of US $ 1.4 billion was recently supported also by the United Nations General Assembly. In our opinion, this realistic pledging target will facilitate planning and management of WFP's activity over the next two-year period. Therefore, Finland is pleased to join in a unanimous adoption of the pledging target by this Conference as presented in document C 87/LIM/5.
Finland's contribution to WFP's regular resources and to the International Emergency Food Reserve has steadily increased. In fact, we have trebled our food aid to WFP during the six-year period 1982-87. Nearly all Finnish food aid assistance is channelled through WFP. We intend to continue with this policy in the future.
During 1986 WFP committed US$629 million to development projects representing 1.8 million tonnes oí food and approximately US$ 183 million to provide 550,976 tonnes of food to emergency operations. If this annual commitment of more than US$ 800 million is compared to, for example, FAO's budget for 1988-89 it gives an idea of the magnitude and scope of WFP's current operations. Growing resources need to be planned and managed in an efficient way.
Finland has noted with great satisfaction that initiatives and efforts made by the Executive Director of WFP to strengthen the management and administrative capacity of the Programme. In the 24th Session of CFA the issue of CFA's working methods was widely debated. We hope that the next CFA meeting will be able to find a solution and agree on the most appropriate option as to new working methods which we find necessary mainly to improve project consideration and also to make the committee's work on policy issues more efficient.
Finally, a few observations regarding the Emergency operations of WFP. We have taken note that WFP jointly with other relevant UN agencies, is actively engaged in efforts to combat the new crisis developing in eastern Africa. We appreciate the coordinating role which WFP has exercised as regards food aid in emergency situations. As refugees are the largest continuing beneficiary group of WFP emergency assistance, we welcome the increased cooperation and coordination between WFP and UNHCR. We are convinced that the recent agreement between the two agencies will lead to more efficient utilization of food supplies to the refugees. More resources are needed for refugees and other victims of emergency situations in different parts of the developing world. We hope that these resources are planned and utilized in such a way that they also contribute to the smooth transition of longer-term development. In this effort FAO should actively cooperate with WFP.
Finally, as Sweden, Finland considers that the Pledging Conference should be held in New York.
Assefa YILALA (Ethiopia): As I tried to indicate in the earlier part of my intervention and as members of the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes, we have gone through the process of discussion on the pledging target and the proposed US$ 1 400 million target for the 1989-1990 period. As this has been no surprise and has been well supported in the CFA and by my delegation, also in the Council that was held recently, we would again voice our support and endorsement of the Resolution contained in the document C 87/LIM/5. We also support the idea expressed in paragraph 166 regarding the increased purchases of food from developing countries out of the Programme's own cash resources. Even so, the food shortage situation in the developing countries has increased and in spite of commodity price rises and lower exchange rates of the US dollar, the target for the period 1989-90 stayed at the same level as that of the previous biennium and accounting for the prevailing international economic situations and also the concern expressed in connection with the achievable target setting, the present proposal could be considered as an acceptable level.
As one of the beneficiary countries from Food Aid for Development, Ethiopia has effectively used the contributions to support natural resources conservation activities such as soil and water conservation, as well as afforestation programmes. And these programmes will eventually contribute to our increased food production of the future. We would continue to support and encourage the continuity of the present directions of development and priorities of the World Food Programme. We also would commend the success in the utilization of food aid for development for others in our country's programme.
In response to the Ethiopian emergency. Ethiopian food shortage emergency was due to the drought in 1987-88 and that was reported by the Deputy Executive Director. We are still short of the actual requirement. Firm commitment is still at about one third of the requirement which was conservatively estimated some time back - about six months back. We would like to thank all those Member Nations who responded to the situation prevailing, while at the same time indicating the need of further response in order to face up to and challenge the existing food shortage problem.
While listening to the report, and also having gone through the document presented for our consideration we felt that this emergency, which was not at all related to the document and which was not at all presented in any form in the document being considered, we felt that it would not appear in this part of the discussion. I would like to get a clarification on how this could be related with the document which is presented for our consideration.
Dangers which have been and are being encountered will in no way become a blockage to us reaching the needy. We will continue to reach the needy in all parts of the country but we will, however, want to indicate our strong objections to the exaggerated reports such as the one that was presented by the Deputy Executive-Director.
Moses Mike MUKOLWE (Kenya): We did speak earlier in support of the proposed resolution and after hearing Mr Ahmed, we note a variety of problems that the Organization may face in relation to the operation in Africa but this is no doubt not discouraging.
You rightly stated that Africa is a harsh teacher and this has spurred you to sharpen your design and strategy and this should be the spirit of our cooperation programmes such as this. However it is a two-way system learning process.
I note with appreciation that at least soil conservation works and afforestation programmes are on the ground in Ethiopia and could be in other areas of your operation - this is very encouraging.
1 am not very sure if the Organization keeps monitoring the situation - maybe with nutrition interventions regarding the state of the target groups so that the momentum can be kept not only by the WFP but also by the recipient governments. I have in mind the maintenance of the works established under the programme.
1 would like also to compliment your organization for the assistance given to us in Kenya, particularly with regard to triangular transaction arrangements which has enabled the country to dispose of their temporary surpluses last season. We hope in other places where there are surpluses within assisted Africa this definitely would be the programme to foster.
We support the cash element of the programme to facilitate getting the food commodity to the target groups and it is our hope this will continue to form one third of the total pledge and even more.
Kenya has realized that without proper organization - that is, a task force within the country and infrastructures that will relate to movement of food, then the programme is impaired and this should not be overlooked in the programmes that we are undertaking under the WFP because this will instead go over or surmount the wastage and then save the very life that we are after. We endorse the resolution as it stands.
Jan DOORENBOS (Netherlands): The target level has been already extensively dealt with during the CFA meeting. We shared at that time the view of the Executive Director of WFP that preference should be given to set a goal that can be met rather than a target very likely not to be attained. We made however an appeal then, and I would like to repeat it here, to not only the traditional donors but also to those countries which did not donate to WFP so far, to pledge contributions so that the target really can be met. The Netherlands knows its responsibility and is known to accept its share fully. This also applies to triangular actions. The WFP is now almost 25 years young and over the years WFP has grown considerably. Also with the coming of age, wisdom has been accumulated. We are happy to note that the parent organization acknowledges this fact. We therefore wish to express our appreciation that relations have improved to a stage like there should be between two relatives respecting each other so that each can fulfil their responsibilities which are imposed by their respective mandates, and this in closest harmony.
Mr Ahmed, we applaud your speech and hasten to voice our support and endorsement of the resolution before us.
Satoshi WAKUNO (Japan): I shall be very brief. The Japanese delegation is pleased to join many of the previous speakers in supporting the draft resolution on the realistic pledging target for 1989-90 of 1.4 billion US dollars formulated at the 23rd Session of the CFA and endorsed at the 91st Council of FAO. Given that the gaps between the targets and actual pledges have gradually been increasing over recent years and considering also that the existing donor countries share the burden in making the contributions under their present financial constraints, we hope that efforts will also be made by WFP to seek out new possible donors in order to mobilize the additional resources.
My delegation would like to take this opportunity to commend WFP for its successful achievements, including the change of the Headquarters' organizational structure and the efficient management in the field of development food aid as well as emergency assistance, particulariy in Africa, and so would like to express our continous support to the programme.
Wolfram M. RAINER (Germany Federal Republic of): First of all my delegation would like to thank Mr Ahmed for the extensive and informative statement he has given us. The delegation of the Federal Republic of Germany already expressed its views at the Twenty-third Session of the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes and also at ECOSOC and at the General Assembly of the United Nations, and in those various fora we have expressed the view that the target of US$ 1 400 million as the expected target for 1989-90 was acceptable and we have expressed our support for it.
We have also noted with satisfaction the action on the part of the Executive Director to take ever greater account of the needs and requirements of the beneficiary countries. For this reason the Federal Republic of Germany supports the resolution included in document C 87/LIM/5. We are in favour of this resolution and the Federal Republic of Germany, as in the past, will also in the future go on supporting the World Food Programme in its struggle against hunger and malnutrition to the best of our ability.
Almir F. DE SÁ BARBUDA (Brazil): I shall be very brief. 1 just want to join all previous speakers in praising the WFP as a highly efficient organization and also the work done by Mr Ingram and Mr Ahmed. The CFA is as well in our view a very effective forum that accomplishes in a proper manner its functions and reaches the targets for which it has been created. Proposals for changes in CFA's methods of work should therefore, in our view, be very carefully examined and accepted only if all member countries are convinced that they will improve our already effective work.
Finally, I would like to thank Mr Ahmed for his very useful and comprehensive statement and to give the full support of my delegation to the resolution presented to us.
Gonzalo BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Gracias, Sr. Presidente, por permitirme esta segunda dosis, muy comprimida.
Queremos referirnos al problema de la situación en Etiopía, tal como lo hicimos en el CPA que concluyó sus labores a fines de octubre pasado, e igualmente insistimos en la Comisión I en la discusión del primer tema de fondo sobre la situación de la agricultura y la alimentación en el mundo. Pensamos que ante los hechos que empiezan a conocerse en relación con la situación en Etiopía convendrá que esta Conferencia haga un llamado para que una acción conjunta de la FAO, del PMA, del organismo especial de Naciones Unidas para la situación africana y sobre todo de los donantes pueda permitir una intervención oportuna y con la anticipación necesaria a fin de evitar que debamos asistir a otra crisis tan dramática como la del año 1985 Pensamos que esto debe constar en nuestro informe.
Y finalmente, queremos agradecer ai Sr. Ahmed su declaración elocuente y fundada como siempre y pedirle al Director Ejecutivo Adjunto que transmita al Sr Ingram, Director Ejecutivo del PMA, la reiteración del respeto, del pleno apoyo, de la simpatía del Gobierno de Colombia por la forma inteligente y eficaz como el Sr. Ingram viene cumpliendo sus funciones con tan alta responsabilidad.
R. MACINTOSH (Canada): Mr Ahmed's introduction was certainly worth waiting for. The Canadian delegation is fully satisfied with the proposed pledging target established by the Committee on Food Aid, CFA, at its 23rd Session. The target of US$ 1 400 million appears to our delegation as realistic and achievable, and we urge other delegations and Member States to reach fully this target and to do so as early as possible within each calendar year of the biennium.
We believe that setting a target which is realistic will facilitate the work of the Programme when establishing the resources available for the different projects in the planning process. We consider that the new arrangements adopted by WFP, bringing together responsibilities for emergency operations and development projects under the new administrative structure of regional bureaux and headquarters will contribute to the operational effectiveness of the Programme. The creation of an integrated and rotational professional staff should help WFP to produce better projects and to improve cohesion in the field.
We are convinced that with well designed and targeted projects available and effective implementation assured, larger effective commitments of resources will be made, and that this will benefit the poorest populations in developing countries. Canadian authorities are also quite pleased with the solid progress made in the last two years on FAO/WFP relations. We congratulate both parties on the productive working relationship now established, and attach great importance to the stability of these new arrangements. Like the delegate of Finland, we have an interest in continuing and completing discussions in the CFA designed to streamline and improve the project approval mechanism.
Eduardo Tomás MIRANO (Angola): Monsieur le Président, nous pensons qu'il est quand même nécessaire de vous dire que nous sommes ravis de vous voir présider, ce soir, les travaux de notre Commission. Encore une fois, nous voulons nous joindre aux délégués qui nous ont précédés pour féliciter M. Ahmed, Directeur générai adjoint du PAM, et le Secrétariat pour l'élaboration du document soumis à notre appréciation.
Ma délégation se déclare satisfaite de la présentation claire et notte do co document et apprécie avec intérêt les résultats escomptés par l'Organisation.
Le problème de l'alimentation est une priorité des priorités auxquelles toutes les nations du monde doivent accorder toute leur attention pour faire face à ce fléau toujours grandissant. La tnim nous préoccupe tous et la nécessité de trouver des solutions urgentes pour libérer le monde de la faim est impérieuse.
Nous insistons pour qu'un accent particulier soit mis sur ce problème dans les pays en développement, et surtout ceux de certaines de nos régions du globe troublées par des guerres d'invasion.
C'est pourquoi ma délégation souscrit au voeu du Directeur exécutif exprimé au paragraphe 165 du document C 87/LIM/5, à savoir celui de permettre au Programme de maintenir ses engagements au niveau actuel et même de les accroître sensiblement si les prix restent stables.
Par la même occasion, nous appuyons l'objectif des contributions au PAM recommandé au Comité des politiques et programmes d'aide alimentaire pour 1989-90. pour lui permettre une meilleure planification et une meilleure gestion des projets.
Le role du PAM est immense et réputé dans nos pays pour ses résultats combien louables et déjà escomptés dans la réalisation de ses projets au niveau de chacun des pays. Nous savons que c'est une tâche importante mais difficile dont se charge le PAM afin de venir à bout de ces calamités naturelles qui surgissent dans certaines régions des pays sinistrés. Mais nous croyons qu'avec un programme d'action fondé sur l'engagement mutuel de tous les pays membres et de tous les contribuables dans L'esprit manifesté au paragraphe 166 du document soumis à notre appréciation, nous saurons surmonter le problème de la faim qui sévit dans le monde.
Avant de terminer, nous tenons à manifester notre grande satisfaction relativement aux dispositions du Conseil qui figurent aux paragraphes 166 et 167 ainsi qu'à celles prises par la Direction générale de la FAO et par les Nations Unies.
Nous restons favorables au projet de résolution soumis à la Conférence et relatif à l'objectif des contributions au PAM pour 1989-90 et nous l'appuyons sans réserve.
Par conséquent, nous lançons un appel à tous les contribuables pour qu'ils fassent preuve de bonne volonté et permettent au PAM d'exécuter ses programmes.
Nous nous rallions à la position de la Belgique, de Cuba et bien d'autres qui sont intervenus avant nous pour appuyer sincèrement le projet qui sera adopté par consensus afin de clore nos débats.
Ronald DEARE (United Kingdom): I had not intended to intervene in this non-debate but I did not want the absence of a United Kingdom intervention to be misunderstood, so let me just say very briefly that of course we support the resolution before us. While I have the floor, I have to say that 1 have doubts about the suggestion of moving the Pledging Conference from New York to Rome. I do not know, but I suspect that one of the reasons for siting it in New York in the first place was that it made it easier for all the members of the World Food Programme actually to attend, because I suspect that rather more countries have representation permanently in New York than they have in Rome. 1 would be interested, on the assumption that Mr Ahmed is going to respond to this debate, to have his comments on the origin of this proposed siting.
Ms Susan ULBAEK (Denmark): 1 will be very very brief. Denmark supports the resolution and thus the unchanged pledging target for 1989-90 at the level of US$ 1 400 million. We see the target as realistic and would like to see it met, also through contributions from new donors. Finally, we urge donors to provide one-third of their contributions in cash in order to ensure the continued efficiency of the Programme.
Salim SARRAF (Liban) (langue originale arabe): La délégation du Liban est heureuse de se joindre à tous ceux qui ont appuyé le projet de résolution relatif à l'objectif des contributions au PAM pour l'exercice 1989-90.
Je voudrais féliciter M. Ahmed pour l'excellent exposé qu'il vient de faire. Mes félicitations s'adressent au PAM pour l'aide qu'il a fournie au Liban au cours des années de crise.
Srta. Margarita LIZARRAGA SAUCEDO (Mexico): La delegación de México agradece ai Sr. Ahmed por la brillante introducción del tema. El Gobierno de México aprecia mucho la labor del Programa Mundial de Alimentos de la cual se ha visto beneficiado.
Asimismo se felicita por el éxito que se ha logrado con el objetivo de promesas que asegura la continuidad de las operaciones.
Esperamos, al igual que lo han manifestado otras delegaciones, que los contribuyentes cumplan de igual manera con la regla del porcentaje establecido de su contribución en dinero que permite aumentar las operaciones triangulares, el uso de medios de transporte de los países en desarrollo como un medio que coadyuve a lograr los objetivos de apoyar a nuestros países a incentivar la producción y uso de servicios y reducir los costos que conllevan el incremento de los resultados.
Nuestra delegación ha seguido con gran interés y aprecio todas las mejoras en la administración del PMA. Esperamos que ello permita la movilización de mayores recursos en favor del número creciente de los afectados por el hambre en el mundo, por lo que nosotros no compartimos la satisfacción por el crecimiento cero que tiene el objetivo de promesas. Esperamos que la satisfacción justamente compartida con la eficiencia del PMA permita que se lleven mayores recursos; por todo ello y por la confianza que tenemos en esa Organización y en su dirección, la delegación de México pondrá todo su apoyo a la resolución que se nos presenta.
Nils Ragnar KAMSVAG (Norway): We would just like to join in with others in expressing full support for the draft resolution.
CHAIRMAN: That brings us to the end of our list of speakers for this item. In the meantime we have received a text from Egypt, to be included in the verbatim records of this item. It will be duly recorded.
Adel Helmy EL-SARKI (Egypt): The Egyptian delegation would like to support the proposed pledging target for 1989-1990 at US $1 400 million. We do hope that this target will be met soon in order to achieve better project planning and managing. We urge donor countries as well as other countries to fully meet this target. The Egyptian delegation adopts the draft resolution No. 1/91 related to this subject. 1/
Salahuddin AHMED (WFP): It has been a very interesting evening for me and very heart warming: no doubt about it. The spirit has been so warm, and right at the beginning I tried to remove a misunderstanding that might have occurred with regard to part of my statement regarding Ethiopia.
My very distinguished friend, I think he misunderstood me and therefore he reacted the way he did. If I failed to communicate that is my failing. But I must say our intention has been all through to draw attention to the very grave situation in Ethiopia and to call attention to the need for very urgent help in order to alleviate the suffering of the people over there, and also to be in a position not only to get aid into the country but to make possible very speedy movement to the areas where it is needed. There are difficulties indeed, but if 1 had not been brief, if I had been a little more elaborate, I think my very distinguished friend would not only have taken courage but would even have been happy that I mentioned this. The unfortunate incident that all of us know of, where we lost our trucks and also our life, which happened on 23 October, following that about 2 000 tons of food have been moved into Tigré and Eritrea and there are trucks of the WFP's transport operations fleet operating there. But the finest thing about it is that the coordinating body of that truck operation of the WFP is headed by the RRC Commissioner, the Relief Commissioner of Ethiopia himself. Therefore if food is moving into those difficult areas it is moving by a joint effort of both of us and we are working together as we have always done. So that is the happy part of it, where we are together and I hope that will remove any misunderstanding he might have had as a result of my failure to communicate fully to him our concern about the situation and the need for assistance.
Second, there was a small observation made by one of our very distinguished friends here with regard to the fulfilment of the target in the past, whether we achieved the target we had set for ourselves any time in the past. I have records in front of me which indicate that on at least three occasions in the past the target was exceeded; once in 1969-70 it was 160 percent of the target which was achieved; in 1973-74 it was 106 percent; in 1975-76 luckily 149 percent over a target of 440 million. So with all the goodwill that is around and with all the commitment that is there in retaining the target level for the next biennium at the current level, we do hope that it will be possible for the international community to achieve and even to excel the target.
I have only one more point, which is a task that was given to me by the delegate of the United Kingdom, who referred to the basis, if there is one, for holding the Pledging Conference in New York.
Looking at the Basic Text I find that in the United Nations General Assembly Resolution of 1961 there is a particular requirement which reads thus: "Requests the Secretary-General in cooperation with the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization to convene such a Conference (that is, a Pledging Conference) at United Nations Headquarters as soon as feasible after the Conference Sessions of Economic and Social Council and the Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization". That was a Resolution of 1961 when the Programme was just established.
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1/ Statement inserted in the verbatim records on request
Then in 1965, when the Programme was established on a continuing basis, as a multilateral food aid: "On a continuing basis for as long as multinational food aid is found feasible and desirable".
At that stage in 1965, the Resolution of the General Assembly again: "Requests the Secretary-General in cooperation with the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization to convene a Pledging Conference at United Nations Headquarters as soon as feasible".
Thereafter there is no such Resolution where there is any reference to the Pledging Conference venue, because the 1975 Resolution concerns itself only to the Constitution of the CFA as the new Governing Body of the World Food Programme. But in the General Regulations derived from all these previous Resolutions of the General Assembly and also of the FAO Conference, in those Regulations there is a very clear reference related to contributions which simply refers to the fact that contributions to the Programme shall be on a voluntary basis, and then: "There shall generally be pledged at Conferences convened jointly by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization approximately one year before the commencement of the pledging period ... etc., etc". Since there is no other reference anywhere to the contrary one would presume it is a continuation of the same thought and the same trend. As a result of that we feel that traditionally the Pledging Conference has been- held in New York. This is all the knowledge I have at this moment.
Finally, I do feel very heartened on behalf of the Programme by all the words of encouragement, support and understanding, and you can be assured that we will continue to make our modest contribution in the troubled world today.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much, Mr Ahmed. 1 think that the debate, or the exchange of views, was indeed heartening for the WFP and the views were expressed that WFP will deserve these heartening comments.
1 would not attempt at this late time of the evening to sum up the debate on this item. I will just repeat that there was unanimous appreciation of the WFP's work, constructive comments were made on the operations of the WFP, comments were made also on the operation of the work of the CFA, and other general comments were heard.
But there is one point which concerns our work now, and I can gather from the discussion that there is a consensus to approve the Draft Resolution for the Conference concerning the target for WFP pledges for the period 1989-90, which figures on page 2 of C 87/LIM/5. If I am correct in this assumption I would consider this Draft Resolution as approved by our Commission. 1 do not see any objection. The Resolution is approved.
It was so decided
Il en est ainsi décidé
Se acuerda así
CHAIRMAN: I believe this concludes discussion of this item, and with your permission I will thank Mr Ahmed for his presence and I think he may have a very good sleep tonight after all the appreciation the Commission has expressed for the Programme.
Now it is five minutes to eleven. We still have some time left until the interpreters will stop assisting us. I think we can use this time, which is around half an hour, to introduce at least the following item on our agenda.
CHAIRMAN: This item concerns Relations and Consultations with International Organizations. As you are all aware, item 20 has three sub-items, 20.1, 20.2 and 20.3, and I suggest we take these points separately. With your permission 1 will ask Mr Regnier to take his place on my right to introduce the first sub-point, 20.1, which is Preparation and Follow-up of the Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Africa. The document relating to this sub-item is C 87/26.
A. REGNIER (Director, Office for Inter-Agency Affairs): It is my pleasure to introduce the agenda item entitled "Preparation and Follow-up of the Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Africa". Document C 87/26 has been submitted under this item. I have noted the numerous interventions, particularly under item 13 on the Programme of Work and Budget 1988-89 and medium-term objectives, which have referred to the situation in Africa.
As you may recall, the Conference adopted resolution 4/85 at its last session which, among other things, encouraged the efforts being made at that time at the Fortieth Session of the United Nations General Assembly to convene a Special Session on the critical economic situation in Africa. The call for convening the Special Session had come from the OAU Summit held in July 1985, which adopted a strategy on "Africa's Priority Programme for Economic Recovery 1986-1990" (APPER) and a declaration on the critical economic situation in Africa.
Subsequently, the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development 1986-1990 was adopted by the Thirteenth Special Session of the General Assembly. It has two central elements: (a) the determination and commitment of the African countries to launch both national and regional programmes of economic development, and (b) the positive response and commitment of the international community to support and complement African development efforts.
The most important implication of UN/PAAERD for FAO derives from its recognition of agricultural development as the main engine for the recovery and long-term development in Africa. The priority given to agriculture is evident from the fact that 47.5 percent of overall resources for the implementation of the Programme of Action has been allocated to agriculture, with a further 46.9 percent to agro-based sectors.
FAO's close involvement with the Programme of Action goes back to the preparatory stages of the Special Session of the General Assembly when FAO made substantive inputs to the documentation. FAO played an active role in the preparation of the so-called "New York Paper" and the African Submission for the Special Session. The Director-General himself led the FAO delegation to the Special Session.
The adoption of the FAO Programme of Action for African Agriculture, by the Fourteenth Regional Conference for Africa, in September 1986 constituted the first step in FAO follow-up to the Special Session. FAO continues to reorient its regular and field programmes so as to sharpen the focus on Africa and to reflect the priorities of UN/PAAERD, as well as Africa's Priority Programme for Economic Recovery and the Lagos Plan of Action. This appears clearly in document C 87/LIM/24 entitled "FAO's Focus on Africa in Relation to the United Nations Programme of Action". At the same time, the Agricultural Rehabilitation Programme for Africa (ARPA) from 1985 to May 1987 focussed on medium-term efforts to prevent food shortages and to help relaunch agricultural production on a sustainable basis.
A review of achievements and developments during the first year of the UN Programme of Action, from the perspective of FAO work on the stage of agriculture in 1987, is contained in another document before you (C 87/2, paragraphs 54-75). The document under consideration here. However, (C 87/26), outlines the inter-agency dimensions of follow-up to UN/PAAERD.
In September 1986, the United Nations Secretary-General established a high-level Steering Committee of UN/PAAERD under the chairmanship of the Director-General for Development and International Economic Cooperation, Mr Ripert. FAO and other United Nations entities were invited to participate in the work of this Committee. FAO has actively participated in all meetings of the Steering Committee and has submitted a comprehensive report on its approach on the priority measures in the Programme of Action.
In October 1986, the UN Steering Committee established, under the chairmanship of the Executive Secretary of ECA, an Inter-Agency Task Force on the Programme at the regional level, in order to assist the Committee and to act ns its technical and operational arm. As n core member of the Task Force, FAO has participated fully in its work. FAO has also contributed considerably, as a member of the drafting group (along with ECA, World Bank and UNCTAD) in the preparation of the Secretary-General's report to the Forty-second Session of the General Assembly. FAO also provided personnel for an FAO/ECA/UNICEF mission in early 1987 to study information flows on the follow-up process on African recovery and development.
In order to oversee the implementation of the agricultural provisions of the UN Programme of Action and to ensure the full commitment to it of the Organization as a whole, the Director-General established in February 1987, an FAO Steering Committee for the follow-up to the Programme chaired by the Deputy Director-General. The other functions of the FAO Steering Committee are to develop specific inputs for implementation of the Programme of Action; to monitor progress and achievements in relation to these objectives and to coordinate arrangements for the reporting of progress to the United Nations and FAO bodies; also to coordinate FAO's participation in the work of the United Nations Steering Committee and the Inter-Agency Task Force; and to formulate policy advice accordingly.
Mr Chairman, up to this point, I have been speaking about formal participation, may I now draw to your attention once again the substantive programmes of FAO pursuant to the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development which are summarized in document C 87/LIM/24.
In accordance with the follow-up mechanism of the UN Programme of Action, the Secretary-General is to monitor the process of implementation of the Programme and to report thereon to the Assembly at its Forty-second and Forty-third Sessions. Accordingly, the Secretary-General has submitted a report (A/42/560) for the consideration of the current session of the General Assembly. As I said earlier, FAO made a considerable contribution to the preparation of this report at the regional level. The Secretary-General has stated in his report that a most important and assuring trend has become discernible in the implementation of the Programme of Action - the growing number of African countries which have embarked on significant policy reforms and structural adjustment measures aimed at bringing about accelerated economic recovery and setting new foundations for more sustainable development. The report affirmed that some of these policy measures have been pushed through in the face of formidable political difficulties and risks. It detailed the unfortunate situation where the external environment that was already so adverse when the Programme of Action was adopted has become even more aggravated. Increased agricultural production often yielded reduced earnings as the prices of the commodities collapsed to their lowest levels for several decades, and the receipts from exports dropped sharply. At the same time, the price of imported manufactured goods has continued to rise, resulting in a deterioration in terms of trade.
The Secretary-General's report also gave considerable attention to the African debt crisis and indicated that the overall African debt is in the region of US $ 150 bn to US $ 200 bn, accounting for about half its Gross Domestic Product and approximately three to four times its annual export income. Debt service ratios on average exceed 50 percent.
The current session of the General Assembly has another document before it on this subject, entitled "Africa's Preliminary Assessment of the Implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development 1986-1990". This document was originally presented at the Tenth Ordinary Session of the Permanent Steering Committee of the Organization of African Unity, held in New York in September. The Council will be kept informed on the outcome of the General Assembly deliberation at its next session.
With these preliminary remarks, may I present document C 87/26 for your consideration. I shall be happy to provide any additional information or clarification.
CHAIRMAN: I said in the beginning that we have before us the document C 87/26 but as you have drawn our attention, we have for information purposes only another document on the item which is C 87/LIM/24 for information only. I underline that.
Jean-Pierre POLY (France): Ma délégation voudrait brièvement commenter la presentation par le Secrétariat du document C 87/26 et des paragraphes 8 et 41 du document C 87/9 qui en reprennent les termes et qui font bien le point sur la contribution apportée par la FAO au Programme d'action des Nations Unies pour le redressement économique et le développement de l'Afrique. On peut créditer l'Organisation d'avoir su, depuis quelques années, manifester de manière active sa participation aux efforts de redressement du continent à travers des programmes comme le Système mondial d'information et d'alerte rapide, la lutte contre les criquets et les sauteriaux et un projet comme l'Etude de faisabilité sur l'aide en nature sous forme d'intrants agricoles.
Ma délégation, pour sa part, ne peut que se féliciter de cet engagement total de la FAO vis-à-vis d'un continent particulièrement défavorisé et qui bénéficie de la plus grande part de l'aide que nous apportons aux pays en développement.
Le Ministre des affaires étrangères a d'ailleurs déclaré dans son allocution prononcée le 23 septembre à New York, devant la 42ème Assemblée générale que "les Etats africains doivent béné-ficier tout particulièrement du soutien de la communauté internationale, et il ne faut pas que les conclusions de la Session extraordinaire de l'Assemblée générale consacrée au continent africain restent lettre morte".
Permettez-moi,à cette occasion, de vous rappeler le rôle déterminant de notre pays - d'ailleurs avec d'autres pays européens - dans les initiatives suivantes qui ont toutes pour but d'apporter des flux de ressources supplémentaires au développement de l'Afrique. Je pense notamment au Fonds spécial Afrique, au Programme spécial du FIDA pour l'Afrique subsaharienne, à la facilité d'ajustement structurel du FMI, dont mon pays encourage le triplement. La France, en outre, a accru sa part dans la huitième reconstitution de l'AlD. Elle appuie une augmentation substantielle de la BIRD et soutient une reconstitution du Fonds africain de développement.
Dans le cas de ce dernier fonds, le secteur prioritaire devra être le développement rural.
Pour compléter ce panorama, au plan bilatéral, le Gouvernement français a montré son attachement au développement du continent africain puisque le Ministère de la coopération connaîtra en 1988 une augmentation budgétaire de plus de 13,5 pour cent, soit l'une des plus importantes pour les ministères français. Une part croissante des fonds sera consacrée à l'aide hors projets et en particulier à des plans de réhabilitation sectoriels.
Toutefois, pour que ces efforts ne soient pas vains, il faut qu'au niveau de chaque pays des solutions soient explorées afin de mettre en oeuvre des actions coordonnées à la fois entre donateurs et pays bénéficiaires. A cet égard, nous pensons que la FAO a un rôle à jouer et nous ne pouvons qu'encourager son Directeur général à prendre des initiatives complémentaires dans ce domaine et l'assurer de notre complet soutien.
Mi lutin TAPAVICKI (Yugoslavia): I would like to congratulate you on your election as a Vice-Chairman and also to express our satisfaction to see you in the Chair.
At the same time the Yugoslav delegation wishes to congratulate the Secretariat for its efforts in preparing the document before us for consideration and thank Mr Regnier for his very substantive presentation of the item.
Bearing in mind the facts for the United Nations Programme of Action for the Economic Recovery of the Development of Africa in 1987 is being implemented under conditions of further aggravation of the economic position of the developed countries we should like to point out that such a situation acts as a factor limiting the political action and the possibilities for the African countries to
implement more resolute steps to undertaking the key economic problems of Africa. The further exacerbation of the debt problem and the absence of a global solution to this make the solution to the developing countries of Africa even more difficult and the prospects of recovery and the development of Africa even more remote.
We have seen the reality that in spite of the global improvement in the field of food and agriculture in Africa the position of a number of African countries is still difficult. Therefore, our delegation fully supports the FAO's efforts to focus Its programmes of activities on Africa with a view to implementing the United Nations Programme of Action. We consider these to be a positive approach on the part of FAO in assisting the African countries to overcome the inmediate medium and long-term problems that this continent is confronted with.
The Yugoslav delegation supports the further implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action and points to the need for greater participation in and contribution of the United Nations Specialized Agencies, including FAO, aimed at more consistently implementing the decisions of the Conference of African Unity Organization pertaining to the critical economic situation in Africa.
Marc-André FREDETTE (Canada): Etant un adepte de la non-violence, j'ai souhaité souligner visuellement simplement, comme c'est je crois la norme aux Etats-Unis, un point d'ordre. Je tiens à faire malheureusement référence au règlement XIII, point 5, c'est-à-dire que nous n'avons pas de quorum en ce moment pour arrêter cette séance, non pas par désir de faire obstruction au débat, mais parce que les pays principalement concernés ne sont pas ici. Je pense qu'il serait sage d'avoir l'Afrique présente et participant au débat quand on parle de l'Afrique et il me semble qu'on pourrait peut-être repartir demain matin quand ces pays seront présents.
POINT OF ORDER
POINT D'ORDRE
PUNTO DE ORDEN
Srta. Margarita LIZARRAGA SAUCEDO (Mexico):Punto de orden: Yo también con el espíritu de mayor compren-sión, que creo quo debe tratar de ayudarnoü a avanzar en eltrabajo demuestras delibcracionos. No só on quó situación estamos, porque realmente no ha variado la situación desde hace mas de hora y media. Somos ios mismos protagonistas los que estamos aquí, solamente lo que ha cambiado es el tema. Me parece que si hemos tenido la comprensión para tratar el tema anterior en el mismo estado de cosas, podemos seguir trabajando, porque yo creo que si la voluntad de algunos países hubiera sido de estar aquí, tal vez las posibilidades se lo impidieron, pero yo creo que si se pudiera hacer abstención de esta situación, en espíritu de compromiso, podríamos seguir trabajando. Se lo pedimos así a ios colegas que han levantado el primer punto de orden, a ver si podemos seguir avanzando.
POINT OF ORDER
POINT D'ORDRE
PUNTO DE ORDEN
Ronald DEARE (United Kingdom): It is the same point of order. I very much agree with what the distinguished delegate of Canada has said. The item we have just been discussing was totally different from the one now before us. It seems to me that it would be appropriate that we should have rather more of the countries represented to whom this is of the greatest concern, than we have here tonight. I would support the motion by the distinguished delegate of Canada.
CHAIRMAN: I think the point made by Canada is well taken and indeed there are two considerations. First, we do not have a quorum but that has not prejudiced our discussions up to now because it has only just been pointed out. Secondly, as far as concerns the substance of the discussion we should like to have seen more African countries present when we discussed this item. To respond to the query raised by Mexico I should like to point out that we have, in fact, only ten minutes before the interpreters leave us. We would not lose much time if we were to stop now. Therefore, if the distinguished delegate of Mexico agrees we could abide by the Canadian proposal, which was supported by the United Kingdom, and adjourn now. We will continue the discussion of this item tomorrow morning. For my part I think we have made some progress this evening. I thank all the delegates present for their attendance
Gonzalo BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Estamos de acuerdo, Sr. Presidente, en que se levante ahora la sesión pero a condición de que usted siga presidiendo esta Comisión por lo menos durante todo el día de mañana.
CHAIRMAN: I appreciate your remark but the matter is not in my hands. We have a chairman and I think we will decide that matter tomorrow. If there are no further comments I will adjourn now.
The meeting rose at 23.30 hours
La séance est devée à 23 h.30
Se levanta la sesión a las 23.30 horas
