The latest G8 Summit at Hokkaido is supposed to address (besides other issues) the problem of global food scarcity. Ban Ki-moon rightly urged the world leaders to be generous and give immediate food assistance to the poorest nations of the world. But the Summit has made a bad start. The rich menu of delicacies which the world leaders will feast upon looks out of place in today’s situation of rising food prices and global hunger. While according to UN estimates, 105 million more people, including 30 million in Africa, could drop below the poverty line because of rising food prices, G8 leaders will bite into caviar, milk fed lamb, sea urchin and tuna, with champagne and wines flown in from Europe and the U.S.
The picture of the gastronomic indulgence of leaders of the dominant nations of the world points to the lack of real concern towards the suffering and hunger of millions in the world, especially in Africa. In 2005, at the G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, world leaders had solemnly vowed to give $25 billion in aid by 2010. Till today the rich nations have only given a minuscule 14% of the amount. Amidst this Gordon Brown Gordon Brown urges his countrymen to avoid waste in the kitchen. Bush had made facetious remarks a few months ago about the Chinese and Indians eating more and contributing to rising food prices.
But there is good news too. The EU has understood the gravity of the situation and decided to direct towards Africa the amount saved from cuts in farm subsidies. But much more needs to be done. The G8 leaders could have send a strong signal to the world that they are serious and sensitive to the rising hunger in the world by make doing with a simple menu on their dining tables. The rich luxurious menu seems like a cruel joke to the starving millions.
Source: TimesOnline, Daily Mail
