'Partnership vital to fight hunger'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto addressed the World Food
\nSummit in Rome yesterday, urging developed countries to renew
\ntheir commitment to building a world free of hunger and
\nmalnutrition.<\/p>\n
He expressed hope that the summit would solidify the world
\nleaders' commitment to initiate realistic and pragmatic steps to
\nhelp an estimated 800 million people in the world still living in
\nhunger.<\/p>\n
\"With cooperation based on partnership we are sure that the
\nfood problem, faced primarily by developing countries, can be
\novercome,\" the President said.<\/p>\n
He further highlighted the fact that about one-fourth of the
\nestimated 800 million living in hunger were children.<\/p>\n
Soeharto arrived in Rome Thursday after spending four-days on
\na state visit to Amman.<\/p>\n
Accompanying Soeharto was Minister\/State Secretary Moerdiono,
\nMinister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas, Minister of Agriculture
\nSjarifudin Baharsjah, Minister of Forestry Djamaloedin
\nSoeryohadikoesoemo and Chairman of the Logistics Board Beddu
\nAmang.<\/p>\n
Soeharto was among the 37 heads of state and government
\nscheduled to address the summit yesterday. Other speakers
\nincluded Chinese Premier Li Peng, South Korean Prime Minister Lee
\nSoo-sung and French President Alain Juppe.<\/p>\n
The summit is aimed at finding a long term solution to hunger
\nand malnutrition. It further aims to seek commitment to reduce
\nhunger by half by the year 2015.<\/p>\n
An estimated 80 heads of state and government are attending
\nthe meeting.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto challenged the summit yesterday, saying
\nthat if developed countries are ready to reaffirm their
\ncommitment, world hunger can be eradicated by the 21st Century.<\/p>\n
The sad fact, according to Soeharto, is there is actually an
\nabundant supply of food in the world.<\/p>\n
\"We witness an excess of food in developed countries. Yet food
\nshortages and hunger plagues continue to be a long torment in
\ndeveloping countries, particularly in Africa and Asia,\" Soeharto
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
While stressing the importance of cooperation, Soeharto also
\nwarned of the danger of it developing into a relationship of
\ndependence.<\/p>\n
\"It has to be clear from the very beginning that food aid from
\ndeveloped countries must not make the developing ones perpetually
\ndependent,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Such aid, the President maintained, must become only one
\naspect of assistance in a process towards self-sufficiency.<\/p>\n
Touching on efforts toward food cooperation, Soeharto
\nexplained that Indonesia has in the past five years hosted
\nvarious training and workshop programs for farmers and officials
\nworking in the agricultural sector.<\/p>\n
Over 1,000 participants from developing countries have taken
\npart in the programs in Indonesia to learn how the country, which
\nwas once a major exporter of rice, achieved self-sufficiency.<\/p>\n
Trade<\/p>\n
Apart from the food aid, Soeharto also highlighted concern
\nover the international trading system.<\/p>\n
He strongly urged developed countries to be wary of trade
\nissues which could lead to a decline in agricultural exports,
\nwhich in turn will greatly endanger the livelihood of farmers.<\/p>\n
\"Agricultural products are the traditional staple export of
\ndeveloping countries,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said Indonesia would consider a collapse in its
\nagricultural sector as a failure of the overall national
\ndevelopment since the majority of citizens work in the
\nagricultural field.<\/p>\n
Yesterday Soeharto received courtesy calls from a number of
\nforeign dignitaries. They included Premier Abdul Aziz Ghani of
\nYemen, Iranian Vice President Hassan Habibie and Iraqi Vice-
\nPresident Taha Marouf.<\/p>\n
Shortly after his arrival in Rome Thursday evening, Soeharto
\nmet with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed. (mds)<\/p>\n
Editorial -- Page 4<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/partnership-vital-to-fight-hunger-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }