IMF, World Bank chiefs warn of food shortages, inflation pressure, Egypt and Tajikistan hard hit

www.chinaview.cn 2008-04-11 04:49:52

WASHINGTON, April 10 (Xinhua) --

Leaders of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank warned Thursday that surging commodity prices are leading to serious food shortages in the developing world and prompting a new round of inflationary pressures amid a global economic downturn.

"Inflation may be back," said IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn in a press conference before the weekend's spring meetings of the two institutions, "It's a key concern."

He said food prices have increased 48 percent since the end of 2006, noting IMF analysis shows that countries in Africa and Asia will be most negatively impacted by sharp rise in food prices.

World Bank President Robert Zoellick also warned climbing food prices would set back efforts to reduce poverty by about seven years.

"While many are worried about filling their gas tanks, many others around the world are struggling to fill their stomachs," Zoellick said. "With little margin for survival, rising prices too often means fewer meals."

He urged industrial nations to make up a 500-billion-dollar food gap required by the UN's World Food Program to meet emergency needs.

"Meeting such as this one are usually about talk. Words can focus attention. They can build momentum. But we can't be satisfied with studies, papers and talk," said the World Bank chief.

Editor: Yan Liang

UN:Over 500,000 Tajiks could face food shortages soon

www.chinaview.cn 2008-03-12 11:04:30

United Nations, March 11 (Xinhua) --

More than half a million Tajiks could soon face food shortages as a severe winter turns to flooding, a United Nations spokesperson said Tuesday.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), long-awaited warmer temperatures have replaced snow with intense rains and avalanches, mudflows and floods threaten much of the country.

The assessment made by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) and the agriculture ministry of Tajikistan showed that herders and farmers have sustained losses totaling around 250 million dollars.

In April and May, a number of UN agencies will conduct an in-depth assessment of livelihoods and food security in the country while setting up a structure that could be expanded to deal with possible future emergencies.

Editor: An Lu

Egypt had the first food riots last week

During the weekend, the Egyptian riot police combated striking and protesting poor workers in various cities, who were protesting high prices of various commodities, including bread. People spend a long time in lines just to buy subsidized bread.

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