Resolution on the World Food Summit, The Need for an active African Involvement and Participation

CM/Res.1643 (LXIII)

RESOLUTION ON THE WORLD FOOD SUMMIT; THE NEED FOR AN ACTIVE AFRICAN INVOLVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION

The Council of Ministers of the organization of African Unity, meeting in its Sixty-Third Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 26-28 February 1996,

Recalling AHG/Res. 244 (XXXI) on Food Security and Agricultural Development in Africa,

Bearing in mind that poverty alleviation and food security constitute one of Africa's basic challenges and preoccupations,

Noting that the low agricultural production and precarious food situation resulted from domestic and external factors have transformed the Continent from a net exporter of food at the beginning of the 1960s into net importer,

Considering that the heavy external debt, high population growth and increased demand, man-made and natural calamities have slowed the growth of food production which fell by 20% in the last 25 years making most African Countries to continue depending on food importation and food aid,

Aware of the enormous natural and human potentials of the African continent and the various commitments made by African States to attain socio-economic development-and the attainment of national and collective self-sufficiency, as spelt out in the Lagos Plan of Action, the Abuja Treaty, the Cairo Agenda of Action for Relaunching Africa's Economic and Social Development and the Declaration adopted by the 26th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government on the fundamental changes taking place in the world and their implications for Africa,

Mindful that a World Conference, at Summit Level, on Food will be organized by FAO during 13 -

17 November 1996, and cognizant of the importance of an active African preparation, full involvement and participation in the above-mentioned Conference:

1. REITERATES the commitment of the African States to strive individually and. collectively towards food security, increased food production, national and collective self -sufficiency, and CONSIDERS that the forthcoming World Food Summit constitutes an important and timely event towards the attainment of these objectives;

2. REAFFIRMS the imperative need to adopt a Common African Position on Food Security during the Conference of African Ministers of Agriculture, which-will be held for that purpose in