Pakistan for comprehensive international response to food crisis

New York, June 20 PPI: Welcoming UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's initiative to establish high level task force to tackle global food crisis, Pakistan ambassador at UN Munir Akram has called for greater interaction between this key panel and UN member states.

The food crisis affected millions of people in developing countries. International
community's response had to be comprehensive and urgent, he said after briefing by
Secretary General at informal session of UN General Assembly.

Akram said framework drawn by task force to deal with food crisis should have
ownership of entire international community. He called for balance of payment
support to developing and poor states hit hardest by food, energy crises. Some
international mechanism for balance of payment support was urgently needed.

IMF's Compensatory & Contingency Financing Facility has not been used for over 20
years. ``We need to reactivate it. We also urge rich countries to support developing
states in their balance of payment problems.''

Akram lauded Saudi initiative in calling for meeting in Riyadh on pressing energy
issues, calling it highly important. Recent events indicated importance of fossil
fuel for developing economies.

Pakistan, he said, allowed transit facilities for export of wheat to Afghanistan
from other states. Despite pressure of food crisis, Pakistan was exporting 50,000
tons wheat to Afghanistan to help it deal with shortages.