R.S. KAMARA (Sierra Leone): First of all, a word of acknowledgment of the introductory remarks of the Assistant-Director General on the subject, and also to the representatives of the other Specialized Agencies and Bodies.
It is superfluous and unnecessary each time to repeat that a particular topic is of interest, as almost all topics are of interest and significant to the development process in agriculture. In relation to the contributions made so far in the debate, I shall limit myself to one specific topic or area which has been briefly referred to, but not sufficiently, which I consider extremely relevant to the problem of technical cooperation amongst developing countries, TCDC. I refer to the problem of the dissemination of information, but more specifically I really mean communications, although rather timidly. I use the word “timidly”, bearing in mind that the main preoccupation of this Commission, and the Conference for that matter, is that of agricultural development and its attendant progress in FAO's task of trying to find food for the world.
Progress in any endeavour is difficult, if not impossible, if the channels of communication are poor or non-existent. By communication I mean not only the aspect of establishing a single link between people and communities from one country to another, but also communicating our reports from individual to individual or one country to another through the medium of the spoken word.
The dissemination of information at the moment presents one of the most serious barriers limiting contact between countries, particularly among the developing countries of Africa. To illustrate the point, at one time my country urgently required a vaccine from Chad. To avoid making a long story of it, the vaccine arrived in the end, although very late, after considerable damage had been caused. The reason for the delay was the fact that the vaccine had to be sent first to Paris, before finally reaching Sierra Leone.
This is one incident, but it might interest some members of this Commission to know that if I want to make a phone call from Freetown to Liberia, the call will first have to be put through London. It is still quicker to travel from Sierra Leone to Europe, than, say, from Sierra Leone to Mali.
Language is one of the most important means of communication, and yet this poses a serious obstacle, particularly between Anglophone and Francophone countries. To illustrate another very important point, recently, communications between a representative of a research organization, and members of my ministry broke down simply because there was no effective interpreter between the representative, who spoke mainly French and very little English, and members of my own ministry who spoke only English. An attempt made by the speaker to act as interpreter was short lived when the meaning of a very important technical point was involved and there was no dictionary.
My delegation supports the views of various speakers, particularly that of the delegate of Nigeria, when he stated that the problem of TCDC is an international one, in which the role of FAO must be regarded as catalytic, and the efforts of developing countries complementary.
Communication is still largely a matter that resides in the developed countries, and here we would urge FAO - and this has already been demonstrated in the Director-General's statement - that he should be in a position to use his good offices to stand between us and the developed countries in putting our views across.
If we have more training programmes, particularly training programmes whereby people form Francophone countries are given courses in English, and Anglophone countries vice versa, I think we would go a long way towards breaking the barriers that would definitely plague us in our attempts to communicate with each other.
C. WILL (Germany, Fed. Rep. of) (interpretation from German): I note that I am the first of the representatives of the donor countries to speak, and I am very glad to have this privilege. My government attaches as much importance to technical cooperation between developing countries as to economic cooperation between the Federal Republic of Germany and recipient countries. We feel that technical cooperation between developing countries is an essential instrument for promoting the self-reliance of the developing countries.
In document C 77/4, the Director-General has put ideas before us which not only give us an exhaustive description of the present situation, but also give very valuable indications for ρ strategy in this field.
In view of the similarities between countries within one region, agriculture is an excellent starting point for cooperation between developing countries. For the same reason, we, however, also believe that such cooperation is of the utmost importance, precisely for agriculture.
A number of areas have been mentioned in the document, and FAO wants to contribute towards identifying them more exacltly. We believe that the selection of such fields of interest is correct.
The know-how available in the developing countries themselves and also the equipment which is produced in these countries should be used as much as possible. Of course, we also are aware of the difficulties from the point of view of personnel, as mentioned in the document, but we believe that this is essentially a training problem.
We believe it is of the greatest importance to procure equipment in the developing countries wherever this is possible. In this case, the primary effect within the project itself would be accompanied by a secondary effect of the production industry in the developing country.
Apart from that, repairs and maintenance of such equipment would be much better assured and more economic than if such equipment and materials had to be imported, which would take a lot of time and foreign currency of the importing country. My government is already making use of this potential to the greatest possible extent in our bilateral aid. For instance, project vehicles, pumps, machinery and so on are no longer being supplied by the Federal Republic of Germany, if it is possible to find such equipment in the project country itself, or in a neighbouring country which is also a developing country.
I could give you a large number of examples from our bilateral aid. Buildings for schools, workshops, or grain stores are being bult by local firms in the country itself, and are paid for out of our bilateral aid. We see to it that only those parts are imported from the Federal Republic of Germany which cannot be produced in the project country.
In this connection, I would also like to draw your attention to the efforts made by my government to see to it that technical assistance projects are carried out as joint ventures with the developing countries.
A further important example of the support for all the cooperation between developing countries is that we have stopped tied aid in the case of projects involving capital aid, and we did so quite some time ago.
My government agrees with the Director-General that the building up and strengthening of national institutions is one of the basic prerequisites for useful cooperation between developing countries. Here again, agriculture - particularly with regard to agricultural research - is one of the very best starting points. For a long time now national research institutes have been promoted by bilateral and multilateral aid. We are very glad that such and other institutions are be to supported by specific FAO measures, because these are so important for the development of the country concerned. We are convinced that education and training of staff will play the most important role in this connection, as was pointed out by a number of speakers.
In this connection, we also agree with the delegates of Nigeria and Yugoslavia in their view that the regional and special offices of the Specialized Agencies can play a very important catalytic role.
We are of the opinion that in future the question of technical cooperation between developing countries will have to be seen as a very important factor in determining the feasibility of projects, both by the donor and by the recipient countries.
In conclusion, I would like to say a few words with regard to what was said by the delegate of India in connection with the document before us. We also had expected rather more, because it seemed that more was announced, but I believe that FAO was not too far wrong. Very valuable indications are contained in this document but FAO could not anticipate what has been said today, what is still being said and what will be decided by the regional conferences. Therefore, I believe that the proposal made by the delegate of Benin is very important, and it should be looked at very carefully before the regional Conferences or the World Conference on Technical Cooperation between the Developing Countries are organised, in order to discuss specific projects. This is because in this case we would not be dealing with abstract theories but rather with concrete examples.
We feel that cooperation with developing countries would give us the possibility of getting extremely valuable information.
The World Conference on Technical Cooperation between Developing Countries is something that we are looking forward to with a great deal of interest. We believe that in this connection harmonization of the enlightened interests of the industrialized and developing countries can be achieved.
G. LYAKOV (Bulgarie): Conformément aux souhaits de la 71ème session du Conseil, rappelés au paragraphe 162 de son rapport, un chapitre spécial est consacré, dans le document “Examen des programmes de terrain 1976/77’’ à la coopération technique entre les pays en voie de développement.
La délégation bulgare note avec satisfaction que le Directeur général a déjà pris des mesures appropriées en vue d'assurer la participation active de la FAO à la Conférence des Nations Unies sur la coopération technique entre les pays en voie de développement, et elle donne à ces mesures son entière adhésion.
En vue des préparatifs de cette Conférence, ma délégation remarque que l'avis donné par le Directeur général sur la CTPVD représente un tableau concis et lucide de la situation et des problèmes qui en découlent.
A partir des techniques et de l'expérience acquises comme conditions et facteurs de la coopération technique, sont passés en revue et analysés le rôle et la compétence des organisations internationales, et plus particulièrement de la FAO, en tant que catalyseurs et soutien propres à cette coopération.
La délégation de la République populaire de Bulgarie considère que le chapitre en question montre le rôle actif de la FAO dans les domaines clefs de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, dans l'assistance pour la lutte contre les épizooties, contre les ennemis des cultures, contre les carences et les abus des ressources naturelles, s'agissant notamment de l'érosion et de la salinité des sols. L'Organisation a accumulé une précieuse expérience en matière de coopération internationale dans la formation et l'éducation des spécialistes agricoles à différents niveaux et disciplines, ainsi que dans les systèmes multilatéraux de recherche agricole, réseaux scientifiques, et de l'information, CARIS et AGRIS.
Ma délégation estime que la méthode proposée pour stimuler et soutenir la coopération technique, notamment au moyen de projets tendant à l'établissement des liaisons régionales et interrégionales entre les institutions nationales, selon les orientations déjà données dans le cadre des activités bénéficiant d'une aide de la FAO, correspond aux nouvelles tendances positives enregistrées dans ce domaine, tendances déjà examinées au sein de cette Commission. A ce propos, la délégation bulgare partage l'opinion émise sur l'utilité de l'expérience des pays européens pour les pays en voie de développement. Elle estime que l'expérience accumulée par le biais de la coopération régionale européenne dans les recherches agricoles et leurs résultats peut profiter aux pays en voie de développement en dehors de la région.
Ma délégation partage l'opinion émise quant au rôle de la FAO pour la diffusion des renseignements sur les institutions nationales et les moyens d'action pouvant présenter un intérêt pour d'autres pays, obligeant en quelque sorte l'Organisation à être en mesure de porter à l'attention de certains pays les méthodes ayant donné des résultats positifs dans d'autres et qui pourraient être appliquées dans les pays en voie de développement.
En donnant plus d'importance à la coopération technique avec les pays en voie de développement, la République populaire de Bulgarie a partagé, et partage, avec certains de ces pays, dans la mesure de ses possibilités, son expérience dans les domaines divers de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation notamment pour l'élaboration et l'évaluation des projets et leur réalisation, ainsi que pour l'éducation et la formation, dans les instituts bulgares, des spécialistes de ces pays.
D'après les accords bilatéraux de coopération scientifiques et techniques des spécialistes bulgares en matière d'agronomie et d'amélioration hydraulique, de la médecine vétérinaire, de la viticulture et autres, ont travaillé et travaillent actuellement dans différents pays du tiers monde.
En reconnaissant la nécessité d'une coopération active avec les pays en voie de développement, a été créée en Bulgarie une entreprise spécialisée pour l'évaluation et la réalisation de projets sur le principe "terre-produit fini", ainsi que pour la bonne fin des tâches particulières du développement agricole,comme l'organisation de fermes coopératives et de fermes d'Etat, pour l'étude et la réalisation de projets de mise en valeur des terres et des eaux, pour le développement de l'élevage, pour l'infrastructure et pour l'aménagement des zones rurales.
Y. PRIDAN (Israel): Mr. Chairman, your wish together with, the very pertinent observations of my distinguished predecessors make it necessary for me to shorten my speech. Next time I will have to ask for the floor earlier.
My delegation would nevertheless like to express its appreciation for the efforts deployed by FAO to promote TCDC and would like to give its support for the United Nations Conference on Technical Cooperation Amongst Developing Countries to be held next year at Buenos Aires.
While we are not able to make a great financial contribution to worldwide agricultural development, my country is however gratified to have been able to share its agricultural experience and the result of its research with many fellow developing countries over the past two decades. Activities undertaken range from grassroots training of farmers in elementary farm practice, planning and implementation of rural development projects as well as sophisticated aspects of applied agricultural research.
My country believes very much in the process whereby a developing country is able to profit from needed technical assistance on one hand and at the same time to share with others its own very relevant experience accumulated throughout Its own process of development. The initiative undertaken by the FAO is therefore a welcome initiative that complements and strengthens the technical cooperation already existing among developing countries. My country will be very happy to contribute to its success in a very substantive manner.
S.A. MADALLALI (Tanzania): My delegation is pleased to note that the exploitation of the great potential for technical cooperation that exists amongst developing countries is now being seriously considered. Indeed, the scope for such cooperation would require considerable international coordination. Thus the Buenos Aires World Conference on Technical Cooperation Amongst Developing Countries would be a very important mechanism which would enhance the implementation of TCDC and the promotion of further cooperation at regional and sub-regional levels.
My delegation endorses the proposals for discussion at the TCDC Conference, as outlined in paragraph 4.46 of document C 77/4, the strengthening of regional institutions and the establishment of regional and inter-regional links in order to implement these proposals. In doing this we would urge the FAO to pay particular attention to cooperation in crop and animal research and disease control programmes, early warning systems for periodic crop pests such as desert locusts, grain-eating birds and army worms, as well as joint campaigns against tsetse and tick-borne diseases. Such precautionary measures should also be exercised in the fields of forests and fisheries and, more important, wildlife. There should be greater effort and cooperation in Game Reserve Management training and joint anti-poaching campaigns to prevent the threat of extinction of valuable wildlife.
As regards farm machinery and equipment, I would like to mention here that one of the most effective means of disseminating technical cooperation in this field amongst the developing entries is through the organization of agricultural machinery shows in which different countries and. agencies can participate. I would like to refer to a specific example in which a Rural Technical Meet was organized by the Commonwealth Secretariat at Arusha in August 1977, and was attended by rural agricultural workers from Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Swaziland, Lesotho, Botswana, Mozambique and observers from many Commonwealth countries.
The meet was very successful in terms of introducing different agricultural equipment and technologies that each country was using in enhancing higher productivity. Although the attendance to the meet was limited by a language constraint, as mentioned by Sierra Leone, we believe that in future, greater participation could be had if FAO's participates in preparing and coordinating such shows and fora.
My delegation wishes to recommend that such meets should be adopted as regular FAO regional and sub-regional programmes. The Inter-Country Asian Farm Machinery Project might be a basis for cooperation which should be expanded to the African and South American Regions and indeed internationally.
Finally, my delegation wishes to stress that technical cooperation amongst developing countries should be viewed as a more systematic coordination and utilization of existing basic technology which does not cut off the flow or transfer of technology from the developed industrialized countries to the developing countries. TCDC should be viewed as an effective tool for achieving economies of scale in the selection and spreading of technologies amongst developing countries while taking account of current technological development in the industrialized world.
H.M. HASHIM (Saudi Arabia) (interpretation from Arabic): My delegation feels that technical cooperation among developing countries constitutes the cornerstone of rural developments in these countries because of the importance of mechanization in the different phases of agricultural production, whether it is at purely farm level or at harvest level, and the importance of increasing and improving agricultural production and processing and the need to cut down manpower.
We feel that technical cooperation amongst developing countries should be based on the principle of intensive mechanization, taking into account the following criteria in developing countries: the nature of the soil and the climatic conditions, the irrigation systems and their possible adaptations; the training of agricultural workers so that they may learn the new agricultural technology, the presence and availability of machinery and agricultural equipment and their spare parts.
We think that agricultural mechanization is extremely important. Nevertheless, we are not overlooking the importance of technical cooperation in other sectors of agricultural production, especially in agrarian reform, the development of water resources, irrigation and draining methods, and also in the fight against different diseases and other pests, and so on.
It is important to develop all agricultural resources, because in the light of research carried out in various fields, we will be able to gain benefit from our different experiences and increase our production.
With respect to the coming Conference on Technical Cooperation Amongst Developing Countries, we propose that the subjects which are going to be dealt with at the Conference be listed and sent out at once so that we can give our opinions on them.
A.Z.M.O. KHAN (Bangladesh): Our delegation fully endorses the documentation on TCDC from paragraph 4.40 through 4.58, particularly 4.50 to 4.57. I would like to emphasize here the point made by the distinguished delegate of Argentina in the morning, which is about positive discrimination and selective incentive for national institutions or local capabilities. This is definitely a forward looking step the FAO has presented to us, but as pointed out in paragraph 4.49 there are problems in this, in as much as the donors giving capital assistance sometimes tie up with both technical assistance from developed countries as well as expatriot technical assistance from developing countries. This results sometimes, as we have found out, in a partial dependency relationship. This we have found out also in respect of technology transfer, that if the technology that is transferred goes above the understanding of the users there is a permanent master-client relationship, which we would like to avoid. In that context, it may be advisable if the FAO could find out an inventory of countries with common interests, or complementary endowments with more or less similar levels of technology with advancement here and there which can be adapted to the other country. This would help in the machine not being the master of people, but the people being the master of the machine, and in that process the dependency relationship will disappear to a large extent. The problem, of course, in the question of finding local capability has been the lack of an inventory, and we are very glad to learn from UNDP that an information record system is being worked out, or has been worked out. We would urge FAO to also see that this system is related to the donor countries so that they know exactly what local capability exists, both institutionally and individually. Again the question is that whatever has been pointed out in paragraph 4.46 are the potential fields of technical cooperation. As you know, Mr. Chairman, there is already donor cooperation for instance in crop research. We have various foundations, IRRI, ICRISAT and other programmes and projects. There are also bilateral cooperations in fisheries, for instance. UNDP, a welcome change, is financing, for instance, training of aquaculture in some countries, in Han Chou in China, and things like that. These are all very welcome steps, but compared to the total quantum of technical cooperation or aid flow, I am afraid, as the document itself points out, it is very marginal, and since FAO has taken this very bold step of talking about positive discrimination and inter-regional training, we would hope that FAO would follow up on. this and try to see this becomes a much more important step in the really important new dimension in international technical cooperation.
Finally, as is pointed out in paragraph 4.57, if I remember correctly, this general thing has to be followed up in specifics, and we hope that in specific technical cooperation TCDC programmes in crop, in livestock, in fisheries, very particularly in commodity, agreement would be worked out, FAO would help
the various countries of the region to work the specific problems out, because without the specifics all this general talk can again disappear into mere rhetoric which happens most of the time in most of these international deliberations.
J.M. STHOMBING (Indonesia): In the context of TCDC agenda item my delegation is of the view that document C 77/4 does cover the activities which could be done amongst developing countries. However, Mr. Chairman, among those fields which have been mentioned in paragraph 4.46, my delegation would like to stress and add the need of the exchange of experiences of such farmer organizations within the developing countries, as well as with the developed countries.
The idea is very clear: since the small farmers have small bargaining power, they need to work cooperatively.
There is no doubt that in some developing countries cooperatives or farmer organizations and the like have made the significant progress of improving agricultural production as well as the marketing activity in order to increase income of small farmers. In this respect the valuable experience of one country in terms of approach, management and the system as a whole could be implemented in the other countries.
To back up this idea we would like to refer to the recommendation of the FAO expert consultation on experiences and models of cooperative and other rural organizations engaged in agricultural production, held in Budapest last month, that stated the “establishment of production orientation as a fundamental principle when initiating or developing the AGRIS co-op system”', adaption of cooperative experience, as to other social, economic, cultural and political conditions, instead of transferring such experiences directly,
Mr. Chairman, my delegation is of the view that FAO could play a key role in this field as a catalyst, since the Organization has experience of exchange of many field programmes.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, we would like to take this opportunity to refer to the importance of the FAO expert consultation on cooperatives development and rural organization that will be held in Indonesia next year, in which my delegation expresses our appreciation,
R. FAHMY (United Arab Emirates) (interpretation from Arabic): We would also like to thank the Secretariat for the effort it has made in preparing this document. We would like to say that amongst the subjects covered under paragraph 4.46 of the document I find training and education, and I would like to add that technical cooperation between developing countries should essentially be carried out in a specific region and in the different regions. This would be the best possible service that could be granted to developing countries, because what is right for a developing country in one particular region may not meet the requirements or be in the interest of a developing country in another region,
I confirm and support what was said by the representative of Egypt and I agree with what was said by the representative of Kuwait when he spoke of the need to profit immediately from the services rendered by the regional fishery centres situated in Kuwait, and we would like to ask FAO to speed up the process of finding a solution to the problem of this fishery centre.
We would also like to support what was said by the representative of Saudi Arabia about the need of introducing mechanization in agricultural production. We agree with everything he has said and we feel that the Technical Programme, TCDC should give priority to this question.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, my delegation supports what was said by the representative of Benin about the need of establishing a preliminary dialogue between countries of the same region, so as to familiarize themselves with the problem of the regional sub-region, also in an attempt to find a solution at a regional level before calling upon the international Conference which is going to be held in Buenos Aires.
Miss K.P.MAHER (United Kingdom): Firstly I would like to thank the FAO Secretariat for the production of the two helpful working documents, the Review of Field Programmes and C 77/LIM/17 we have before us. We are grateful also for the clear introduction to this subject from Mr. Yriart and from the Chairman of the Proprietary Committee for the 1978 United Nations Conference,
Other delegates, particularly those from the developing countries, have spoken eloquently about the present and potential value and the need for TCDC. I doubt whether there is anything of substance I can usefully add, and I intend to be brief. I simply want to say that my delegation fully supports the concept of TCDC We are pleased that many speakers have stressed that this is in no way a substitute for worldwide economic cooperation but rather complementary to present arrangements. This coincides with the views of my delegation. Although TCDC is not a new concept, indeed it is clear from the examples we have been given today it is very much a working arrangement and much remains to be done.
We are confident that the 1978 Conference has a major role to play, both in focusing attention on this important subject, and in indicating guidelines for future cooperation. We note with satisfaction that FAO will be making a major contribution both to the Conference and to the practical application of TCDC. Indeed, as paragraph 4.40 of C 77/4 points out there is almost unlimited scope for TCDC in the field of agriculture, and we support the priority areas which FAO have picked out for special attention, and listed on page 67 of the Review of Field Programmes.
Finally, I would like to say that the United Kingdom will actively support the concept of TCDC, the success of which will depend upon the cooperation of all agencies of the United Nations, upon all countries, developing and developed alike, and upon the many institutions in those countries. Thank you Mr. Chairman.
R.A. THOMAS (Gambia): My intervention will be very brief. I remember an old adage that says ''When equals are yoked together the weak are too often at the mercy of the strong; we must learn to work together, pray together and to play together.''
The developing countries are yoked together by poverty, hunger and malnutrition, among other things. We must all learn, therefore, the effort to work together, to share all our experiences together and to cooperate with each other in as many fields as possible.
Developing countries must be ready and willing to exchange ideas freely, and to permit a free flow of technical information, and more importantly to assist one another with the secondment of technical assistance personnel as necessary.
Technical cooperation in agriculture, fisheries and forestry is no doubt existing among developing countries at bilateral, multilateral or regional levels. What is now required is for FAO to reinforce and improve the efforts now being made.
Mr. Chairman, I therefore welcome the proposed Conference to be organized in Argentina on the subject of TCDC. May 1 respectfully suggest that the Conference considers the setting up of some contacts in the FAO regional offices through which developing countries could liaise with each other in order to recruit scientific or specialist officers whenever vacancies occur and suitable nationals are not available to fill such posts. This would help to reduce our dependence on the developed countries for the recruitment of such experts, who are not always readily available, and would also ensure that our countries' programmes do not suffer,
E.B. MONGA (Zambia): My delegation would like to join the other Member Nations in thanking the FAO Secretariat for the document on Technical Cooperation Amongst Developing Countries, which we feel has been well presented. The Zambian Delegation is aware of the FAO's efforts being accepted by both developed and developing countries, through various organizations and agencies - something which could quite easily be avoided if coordination and cooperation were exercised. In this regard, my delegation would like to congratulate the Economic Commission for Africa for its efforts in fostering and helping technical cooperation among countries of the African region.
My delegation would like to welcome the initiative taken by FAO in its preparation for the World Conference on Technical Cooperation Amongst Developing Countries, which will be held in Argentina. We believe that the efforts of TCDC will in the final analysis not only help to minimize the use of the scarce available resources among developing countries, but will also create an awareness of the very much needed technologies available in our countries today,
I realize that we are short of time, so I shall not comment further at this stage.
P, GRIFFIN (Ireland): First of all I would like to congratulate Mr. Yriart and the Secretariat on the document which we have before us, which is not only informative in regard to developments to date, but is also constructive and helpful in assessing future needs.
Technical cooperation among developing countries is by definition primarily a matter for the developing countries themselves, as has been mentioned this morning - notably by India. However, as a representative of a country which is not too far above the dividing line, I would like to make a few remarks on the subject.
The first point I would like to make is that the announcement by the Director-General of the launching of the FAO Technical Cooperation Programme was overwhelmingly welcomed by the member countries. In so far as there were any reservations, I should think that they were probably of the ''wait and see'' variety, and it is for this reason that I am interested in those parts of this paper which refer to this programme.
For instance, paragraph 1.3 states that for the first time in its history FAO was able to respond expeditiously to Member Nation's more urgent requests, and paragraph 1.53 lists the first projects which have been financed by TCDC. Paragraph 1.59 states that one of the programme's main aims is to provide a rapid response, and that that ''has been achieved by reducing extensively the time required, after receipt of Government requests''. I refer to this primarily because I had already heard from a totally independent source about two of these projects and the speed with which they were implemented. I would like to express my gratification that TCDC appears to be justifying itself extremely well so far, and I am sure that this will continue.
Secondly, I would like to make a few remarks about technical cooperation and TCDC in general. On the most important points which are listed on page 63 in particular, I would like to say that I agree with the remarks which have been made by a number of countries - I remember in particular China and the Federal Republic of Germany - in regard to the importance of using to the utmost the manpower, equipment and facilities available in the developing countries. In this connection, training is of course of the utmost importance. I would say that stress might be laid - although perhaps not primarily in the FAO field - on helping farmers to make their own tools, maintain them, construct their own farm buildings, etc. This would provide remunerative work for them and save the expenditure of very scarce resources.
Furthermore, in order to facilitate this type of thing, it seems to me that, apart from cooperation between developing countries, local cooperation in the developing countries is very important. A good deal of work is being done in this field by ILO, and I believe - although it is not mentioned here -that FAO does cooperate, and I would advocate that it does so as fully as possible.
Among the items which are listed on page 63 I would mention specifically item f, ''Promotion of cottage and small-scale industries'' etc., and m, which may, along with n, to some extent cover what I have said. Item η reads ''Establishment and strengthening of community centres and organizations to assist and encourage weaker sections in the community towards collective self-reliance''. This could cover local cooperation, but it seems to me that possibly that encouragement could be spelt out a little more.
Miss M.L. MOTSAMAI (Lesotho): Lesotho has had technical assistance from FAO and other United Nations agencies. This assistance has mainly been in the fields of livestock - in the eradication of sheep scab; marketing of livestock products; crops both irrigated and dry land.
The produce marketing corporation deals with both distribution of inputs and marketing of outputs.
Exchange of experience is being undertaken with other neighbouring countries.
On the subject of training - institutions in other developing countries are being used mainly in management and technical courses. For example, contacts have been made with the Potato Centre in Kenya. The establishment of such a contact and consultation has had an impact in the evaluation of a newly established seed potato industry in the mountains. Trainees are being sent to other developing countries for soil conservation measures and other fields in the development of agriculture.
We are in the process of establishing our research division which is going to undertake applied activities as against basic research.
The main objective is to involve the farmer at field level. We would highly appreciate exchange of ideas and methods from other developing countries where the same conditions exist as in Lesotho.
We would therefore support the idea of holding the World Conference on TCDC in 1978.
Κ. CHOUERI (Liban) (interprétation de l'Arabe): En ce qui concerne le point 4.41 du document dont nous traitons actuellement, je voudrais dire que ma délégation appuie les efforts consentis par la FAO dans le développement de la coopération technique au moyen de la coordination des projets interrégionaux et interpays. Et ce, parce que nous avons chez nous, des projets pilotes dans divers domaines, en particulier dans le domaine de la lutte antiacridienne et antiaviaire, et des projets de recherche divers.
Je voudrais ici rappeler certaines réalités en matière de création d'un réseau de recherche et d'instituts de formation en matière de mécanisation agricole. Commentant ce qui est dit au point 4.43 du document en question, je voudrais dire que depuis quelques années, nous avons commencé des recherches qui ont démontré que 70 pour cent des machines et outils ont besoin d'être réparés et que les opérations de réparation, de même que les pièces de rechange ne sont pas toujours disponibles, et que l'utilisation d'un tracteur ne dépasse pas 15 hectares par an alors que dans les pays développés cette utilisation est de 60 hectares.
En ce qui concerne le point 4.46, je ne peux que souligner avec la plus grande gratitude les opérations auxquelles la FAO a apporté son assistance en vue de la préparation et la réalisation de la Conférence de coopération technique entre pays en voie de développement et les efforts consentis pour mettre au point la liste des sujets qui seront traités dans cette conférence, et ce en vue de couvrir tous nos besoins et de répondre à nos aspirations.
En ce qui concerne les institutions nationales, je voudrais dire que nous sommes parfaitement conscients du rôle de ces institutions dans le développement agricole, car les instituts de recherche scientifique en matière d'agriculture ont été détruits au cours des derniers événements qu'a connus mon pays. Nous avons traversé une période particulièrement critique et difficile et les projets relatifs à la production céréalière ont été durement touchés et la FAO a joué un rôle stimulateur très important en répondant à notre appel d'assistance. Elle a aidé les institutions nationales à distribuer l'assistance qu'elle apportait aux petits agriculteurs. Nous ne pouvons que souligner l'ampleur du rôle de coordinateur de la coopération technique joué par la FAO à tous les niveaux. Nous lui en sommes très reconnaissants.
Mrs. L. MARIANO (Philippines): The Philippine delegation joins the other delegations in thanking the Director-General for the highly commendable document C 77/4 and especially the chapter on Technical Cooperation Amongst Developing Countries.
In southeast Asia, there are several bodies which undertake, to a limited extent, cooperative efforts in fisheries and agriculture. Among these ASEAN and SEAFDEC are the most important. We welcome the greater emphasis which FAO would put on TCDC especially in aquaculture, sustenance fishery development, education and training and even in deep sea fishing-. The fields of expertise found in the developing countries which may readily be applied in other developing states are substantial enough and need to be put together and be made available to interested parties. FAO could go a long way to act as the catalyst along this endeavour.
We welcome the programme of FAO to assist the establishment and strengthening of national institutions of Member Nations and especially the dissemination of information about institutions and other facilities in different developing nations, especially, those which would be of interest especially on training and research.
We welcome the policy of positive discrimination for the development of our national institutions. Along this line the Philippines Delegation supports wholeheartedly the resolution on Cooperation Amongst Developing Countries in the Field of Food and Agriculture as sponsored by Argentina and other Latin American States and Romania.
A. FASLA (Algérie): La coopération entre pays ev noie de développement constitue une nouvelle dimension de notre époque, surtout après la prise de conscience par le tiers monde de ses droits et de la manière dont il les défend. Cette coopération qui est appelée à se développer, que ce soit dans le secteur économique, dans le secteur social et technique, revêt une importance capitale et doit être le complément de la coopération authentique et réelle qui devrait s'instaurer entre le Nord, riche, développé, et le Sud, pauvre et en voie de développement.
Au niveau du tiers- monde, notamment au niveau des pays non alignes, un vaste programme de coopération technique est élaboré, et au niveau de l'ensemble du système des Nations Unies, une conférence d'une importance capitale est en cours de préparation, et je crois que de nombreux gouvernements ont déjà envoyé des rapports nationaux concernant cette conférence qui doit avoir lieu à Buenos-Aires l'année prochaine.
La FAO apporte sa contribution tant à la coopération technique entre pays en voie de développement qu'à cette conférence prévue à Buenos-Aires et d'une manière générale nous appuyons les points présentés comme domaine où une éventuelle coopération technique devrait être promue entre pays en voie de développement. Il est certain que ces domaines ne peuvent pas s'appliquer à toutes les régions ou à toutes les sous-régions. Je prendrai le cas de l'Algérie où nous souhaitons qu'une coopération technique très vaste puisse être instaurée, mais nous souhaiterions que cette coopération technique touche d'abord les domaines qui nous concernent au premier chef, comme par exemple la lutte contre le criquet pèlerin, comme la lutte contre la désertification, comme le problème des ressources en eau, comme les recherches en ce qui concerne la pâte à papier.
Or, en Algérie, nous faisons un effort considérable pour la promotion de la coopération technique puisque nous ouvrons nos instituts agronomiques d'agriculture ainsi que nos centres de formation moyens qui correspondent aux lycées agricoles, à de nombreux ressortissants d'Afrique et de Pays arabes. Nous avons de même de nombreux experts venant de régions africaines dans certains de nos centres de recherche. Nous estimons que la FAO devrait jouer un rôle capital dans le renforcement des institutions nationales ainsi que des institutions régionales déjà existantes où en voie de création, je pense particulièrement aux différents centres qui sont en voie de création ou qui vont l'être. Je pense aux banques de données industrielles crées par l'ONUDI, je pense également, à toute une série de centres régionaux qui se trouvent dans le cadre soit des institutions du système des Nations Unies, soit dans le cadre de coopération strictement régionale en dehors du système des Nations Unies, comme la coopération maghrébine, la coopération dans le cadre de l'Organisation de l'unité africaine.
Notre pays ne ménagera aucun effort pour assurer le succès de la Conférence de Buenos-Aires, et nous estimons qu'une étroite coopération entre toutes les institutions du système des Nations Unies pourra contribuer également au succès de cette conférence qui revêt pour nous une importance particulière.
B. de AZEVEDO BRITO (Brazil): My delegation has already referred to the question of technical cooperation among developing countries. For a number of years, Brazil and all developing countries have been trying to promote the concept of technical cooperation among developing countries, promoting the idea in our own national efforts, and the delegate from Algeria referred right now to the efforts developed by the Algerian Government to extend that cooperation. I could also mention very happily, a number of similar initiatives which we are trying, but of course we do not have the resources which are obviously limited, to extend such cooperation.
What we are discussing here, however, is more in terms of what the FAO and other agencies of the United Nations system can and should do. We feel that since FAO has a very important role in a very important section of the technical assistance activities within the United Nations system, it is more appropriate that FAO make a very special effort to promote technical cooperation among developing countries. Such an effort must be done in a rather innovative manner. FAO must stimulate also cooperation. I referred in a previous comment on the role of the FAO representatives at country levels, that on a number of occasions they could have a very useful role in stimulating initiative when projects are identified, and trying to see to what extent such projects could better be implemented through cooperation with other developing countries. Therefore, it is not only a question of approved recommendations but really for FAO to take initiatives, to try to stimulate cooperation even. Also it is important that within its own work FAO, and of course my comments relate to all units of the system, that they adjust their procedures in such a way as to favour the utilization of the technological know-how available already in developing countries.
At present I must say that most of that utilization has been limited to experts and even somewhat limited to members. There is very little recourse to institutions, training institutions, institutions of extension, institutions of research, and it is specifically geared for consultancy and preparation of feasibility studies and sectorial plans. We feel that the time has come for FAO to take a much more affirmative position in relation to TCDC, fully in line by way of what the General Assembly has recommended us to do and fully in line with expectations that the Buenos Aires Conference has raised.
We have also within FAO and in the preparations for the Conference for Buenos Aires, to try to define the areas of priority. We have so far spoken little about priorities. This is a process from now to Buenos Aires so that we know in the agricultural field and food production where special emphasis could be laid, and where initiatives could be more fruitful.
Speaking about areas of attention, I would give one example which I feel is fully valid. It is the question of research. Nowadays, developing countries are already devoting quite an effort and quite some resources in research. That is valid for each of the three regions being developed, for Africa, Asia and Latin America. The one area in which FAO could have a very innovative and stimulating role is the coordination of research, and try to maximize the effort of developing countries in research. That is just one example of the kind of innovative action that FAO can promote and will surely be doing a very useful function for all developing countries.
To conclude, Mr. Chairman, we are very happy to see that FAO will in the coming months and until the Conference at Buenos Aires, try to speed up, not only to write recommendations and write papers, but also try in practical action to check in every field activity to what extent resource to other developing countries could be perhaps the most effective way to implement and fulfill a certain objective. It is of course always up to the recipient country to decide what it wants, to always try to explore in the recipient country in which way it would be preferred, and even prefer, to have technical support from other countries in the developing world which in many instances are better equipped since our environment is the same. Our world is very similar in the developing regions, and often very different from the world in which people live in the developed areas of the world.
That is all I wish to say, but if there is a resolution on this subject, I would very much like to be able to comment on it after seeing the text.
A. LOPES RIBEIRO (Portugal): We think that Technical Cooperation Amongst Developing Countries in the field of agriculture, forestry and fisheries is something of paramount interest for our Organization.
All of us are quite well aware that every country in the world spends a lot of time and money doing exactly the same things that others are doing or have already done.
Mr. Chairman, there is no doubt that we are living in a changing world and this is very true in all aspects of our day-to-day life. There is no doubt, also, that cooperation is and must be more and more, the order of the day if we wish, and I am sure we do, to contribute to a better world to live in.
This is the reason why we, within our limited possibilities, are always ready to cooperate, as much as we can, with every country and, of course, with any international organization.
Cooperation in the field of agriculture, forestry and fisheries amongst the developing countries, should be, and can be, reinforced for the benefit of all nations.
We already have good examples of such cooperation. Among them I would like to point out the scientific networks put up by the European Commission on Agriculture. It is a quite new line of cooperation but the good results already achieved must be emphasized and followed.
Thinking thus, we would like to see FAO giving full support to the Buenos Aires conference and making all possible efforts for the success of TCDC Conference.
We would like to see the items to be dealt with in such a conference well selected 1/.
J.F. YRIART (Subdirector General, Departamento de Desarrollo): Creo, señor Presidente, que hemos tenido una discusión positiva y fructífera para el secretariado desde que nos ha ayudado a identificar los campos de actividad, que se prestan para cooperación entre los países en desarrollo. También ha sido importante para enfatizar algunas de las limitaciones que habrá que vencer para llevar adelante estos programas.
Me ha resultado agradable, señor Presidente, ver que las delegaciones han encontrado que el camino que ha tomado la FAO en esta materia es correcto y ha confirmado las selecciones que hemos hecho en principio como posibles campos de acción. Quisiera agradecer al señor Presidente de la Comisión Preparatoria de la Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre CPTD por su intervención, y sobre todo quisiera agradecerle por haber dicho él con la autoridad que le inviste cómo es necesario que también los países se preparen para colaborar en esta magna empresa del CPTD, ya sea para poder prestar asistencia o recibir asistencia, como sucederá generalmente que ambas posiciones cabrán en un mismo país sin que los países tengan una estrategia de desarrollo propia, sin que hayan identificado instituciones apropiadas para colaborar tanto para beneficiarse de tal ayuda como para prestar tal ayuda, será difícil llevar adelante la acción a nivel nacional.
__________1/ Statement inserted in the Verbatim Records on request.
Es muy cierto, en ese orden de ideas, que la promoción del CPTD no es un monopolio de nadie, de ninguna organización, gobierno o persona; y yo diría que tampoco, señor Presidente, puede ser un monopolio de las agencias del sistema de las Naciones Unidas. Ha habido interesantes intervenciones donde se nos han recordado otros organismos, organismos financieros, organismos de investigación, organismos de enseñanza, que también tienen grandes contribuciones para hacer.
Por nuestra parte, tomamos esto muy en cuenta y la FAO sabe que trabajará como uno de todos los que estarán cooperando para llevar adelante el CPTD.
Así, hemos visto en los informes de las Conferencias Regionales que ya se han celebrado, que ha comenzado un intercambio de opinión al nivel de región, como varios delegados han hecho notar, que sería necesario un intercambio preparatorio de la Conferencia Mundial, que estoy seguro que tanto la Comisión Preparatoria como el Secretario de la Conferencia Mundial, están tomando en cuenta en los informes de las reuniones regionales que han tenido lugar generalmente bajo el auspicio del PNUD.
Quisiera referirme más concretamente a observaciones que se han hecho y que atañen directamente a la FAO, o donde se cree que la FAO debe tener una intervención en las acciones necesarias. Se hizo notar por varios delegados que debiera buscarse que el marco de acción del CPTD fuese interregional y no sólo regional. Creo que en eso verdaderamente hay alguna opinión generalizada en ese sentido, y en ese contexto se mencionó además que en otros contextos el rol que le cabría en la promoción del CPTD a las oficinas regionales de la FAO, nosotros creemos que la promoción del CPTD es un rol muy importante de nuestras oficinas regionales y están empeñadas en eso; y en algunos casos ya, mostrando frutos importantes en identificar, campos de acción en las visitas de los técnicos y de los expertos en los países, y dado el conocimiento que tienen de la región después sugerir a otros países y hacer así el puente necesario para que se produzca un proyecto o una acción del CPTD.
Anotamos cuán conveniente sería que esta labor que ya comienzan a estar realizando las oficinas regionales también ahora entre ellas, entre las oficinas regionales, empezando a intercambiar información como lo estamos haciendo dentro de la Sede para poder hacer este puente interregional. Quiero decirle, señor Presidente, que, como base de preparación de nuestra contribución a la Conferencia de Buenos Aires, iniciamos una consulta sobre campos en que podrían hacerse este tipo de proyectos a todas las divisiones técnicas de la Organización y a todas las oficinas regionales.
Quiere decir que nuestra contribución a la documentación de Buenos Aires contribuirá a informaciones sobre proyectos, donde sería posible hacer puentes interregionales. Igualmente creo, como han manifestado los delegados, que hay un rol definido para los representantes de la FAO en los países que, como lo hemos dicho en una discusión anterior, tendrán suma utilidad y muy estrecho contacto con las instituciones nacionales en el sector agropecuario, y estarán por lo tanto especialmente calificados para poder identificar en cada país qué institución puede jugar un papel en la asistencia en la solución de ciertos problemas con otros países.
Se ha hablado de los problemas de información y comunicación. Están mencionados en nuestros documentos, lo repetí yo mismo el problema al presentar el tema, y un gran número de delegaciones hablaron de que la principal limitante es el problema de la información y las comunicaciones. Yo creo que en efecto ese es el gran problema que tenemos que enfrentar.
No sé si los delegados creen que publicitar, publicidad, es una palabra, un vocablo noble o no noble, pero la verdad es que lo que tenemos que hacer es poner al alcance de todos las experiencias que están sucediendo en diversos países para que sepan dónde pueden buscar ayuda. En ese sentido debo decir que toda la acción de formática de la FAO será sumamente útil. Desde AGRIS, CARIS, los diferentes documentos técnicos que presentamos; pero estoy de acuerdo que tendremos en el futuro que tener en mente una dirección en nuestros trabajos de documentación y de información, aun también en la preparación de proyectos de informe, tendremos que tener bien en mente que toda esa información que tendrá que jugar un rol en otros países en desarrollo, que buscarán en esta información también que les indiquen lugares donde pueden encontrar soluciones técnicas, científicas a los problemas que les preocupan. Finalmente, señor Presidente, quiero referirme a sugerencias que se nos hicieron más concretas, diría también más administrativas si usted quiere. Se ha sugerido que las agendas de los órganos rectores de la FAO debieran de incluir siempre temas relacionados con la promoción del CPTD. Se ha sugerido que el Programa de Labores y el Presupuesto de la FAO debiera reconocer también la labor que debe desempeñar la Organización en esa materia.
Y finalmente, se ha sugerido y tengo entendido que el Proyecto de Resolución que ha presentado la Argentina, con el apoyo de otras delegaciones latinoamericanas y Rumania, se refieren a una reunión previa a la Conferencia de Buenos Aires.
Cabe decir, señor Presidente que en esta materia, naturalmente, la limitante es que son los órganos rectores de la FAO los que formulan su agenda. Yo creo, sin embargo, que no será difícil dada la importancia que todas las delegaciones parecen dar a este tema, que de alguna manera se refleja el tema en las agendas, ya sea porque estará con su título completo o porque estarán en la agenda tratados puntos donde CPTD será cada vez más un componente de la acción y de los programas.
En cuanto a los problemas ya más presupuestarios, me quiero referir primero a una posible reunión preparatoria de la Conferencia de Buenos Aires, y no quiero ser negativo.
Permítame señor Presidente por lo tanto decir que en esa reunión, si se pudiese organizar en un tiempo conveniente, la principal contribución de la FAO debiera ser el documento que va a ir a la Conferencia de Buenos Aires, pues eso sería un material preparado cuidadosamente y que daría una base ordenada para la discusión. Así que me permitiría hacer una recomendación de que, de realizarse una tal reunión, se realizase después de que esté pronto el documento de la FAO, que será a comienzos de marzo.
En cuanto a la organización de la reunión en sí, señor Presidente, es evidente que sería preferible que los gobiernos la organizaran, pues no están previstas las reuniones que debe organizar la FAO ni está previsto presupuestariamente. Yo creo que esta es una materia que en la discusión ulterior se vería hasta qué punto los países desean que sea la FAO quien haga una inversión en esto, que. no está previsto repito, y no sé en este momento cómo podría el señor Director General atender esta recomendación, por lo que debo reservar enteramente su posición para una discusión ulterior.
La participación de la FAO en una reunión evidentemente estaría asegurada y también, como digo, si ustedes pueden contemplar la fecha, la FAO podría hacer la mayor contribución con el documento de trabajo para la reunión.
Creo que esto es todo lo que tengo que decir hasta el momento.
CHAIRMAN: Distinguished delegates, I think we have come to the end of the debate on this agenda item. I think I will not take very much time, only two minutes in summing up what we have been debating so far. I, do apologize for not going through all the details that you have raised, because I am quite sure that our Assistant Director-General has given you some of the answers. I just want to sum up what has been debated.
The members of the Commission were of the unanimous opinion that the World Conference on TCDC would surely provide appropriate technology and the change of exchanging experiences among the developing countries, and there should be a stipulation as to the relationship among the donor and recipient countries.
Some members stated the Conference should be organized at the regional level in order to get a clear picture of the needs of developing countries before the convening of the Conference.
Many delegates expressed their appreciation for the active work of the Preparatory Committee of this Commission of the FAO and also expressed the opinion that there should be concentration on some training programmes at medium and high levels and advised FAO act as a catalytic agent to strengthen cooperation among developing countries.
I think that almost covers the whole of what was said, but I have to apologize because something may be missing.
S.S. MAHDI (India): Mr. Chairman, I listened very carefully to the broad summary that you have made. As you said in your own statement, you have made no attempt to cover all the points that have been raised, and this observation is very well taken. We have the PVs, the Secretariat has its notes, and the members of the Drafting Committee have also jotted down the things that have been said, and we hope that the whole flavour of the debate will be able to be reflected in the draft which we will discuss in the Drafting Committee, which will take into account a number of other points which you have deliberately left out in the interest of making the summary brief. That will be taken into account.
F. D'ALMEIDA (Benin): Je vous remercie, Monsieur le Président, pour votre résumé et je remercie M. Yriart pour ses commentaires.
Je ne voudrais pas jouer le trouble-fête mais, comme vous l'avez dit vous-même, beaucoup de délégations ont demandé qu'il y ait des réunions préliminaires avant la Conférence mondiale. Compte tenu de la réponse faite par M. Yriart, il semble que cela ne soit pas possible avant cette Conférence mondiale.
Je voudrais poser le problème de savoir, étant donné que nous sommes tous d'accord sur cette Conférence, s' il ne serait pas possible de la retarder un petit peu, afin que des consultations puissent avoir lieu pour que nous ayons une Conférence réellement efficace. C'est une question que je pose au Secrétariat.
J.F. YRIART (Subdirector General, Departamento de Desarrollo): Lamento que mi explicación no haya sido clara, pero las reuniones previas regionales ya han tenido lugar organizadas por el PNUD. No sé si tal vez el señor Presidente deseará, me permito sugerir, que el Presidente de la Comisión Preparatoria de la Conferencia dijese algunas palabras sobre esto.
S. RISTIC (Chairman, Preparatory Committee of the United Nations Conference on Technical Cooperation Amongst Developing Countries): I intend to be very brief and will try to respond to the i questions about the Conference.
As Mr. Yriart mentioned, we have already had the Regional Conference on TCDC with the participation of a number of the countries of the region, but also the regional meetings were open to all other countries. For instance, my country participated in three regional meetings on TCDC.
We should also mention the Kuwait meeting that was organized in preparing some of the documents on the participation of the distinguished consultants from many other countries, and also I should add the contribution of FAO, the contribution of UNIDO and other international organizations in the preparatory phase of our Conference.
At the last meeting of the Preparatory Committee in September of this year, we definitely decided to have the Conference in late August or early September, and we suppose that everything will be prepared on time, and especially in the preparatory phase. Of course, on behalf of the Secretariat of the Conference in the preparation of the national papers, there should also be very important supporting documents for the preparation of the Conference, From that point of view, I think that we will also receive the support of such a distinguished gathering to have the Conference on time, as was proposed and decided by the Preparatory Committee.
With your permission, I should mention once more that the previous date for the Conference was determined to be March of next year, but in order to prepare the national level and also for the support of the international organizations, we definitely decided to have the Conference in August or September of next year.
S.S. MAHDI (India): The issue that was under discussion just now was the expert consultation, which is a part of the draft resolution tabled by Romania, which is going to the Resolutions Committee. We have had a first reaction from the Secretariat about this proposal, which of course is not yet in the form of a resolution. I would suggest that the time between now and tomorrow, when this draft resolution will be actually tabled in the Commission, may be used for working on the broad implications of this suggestion on the basis of which the Commission could make its recommendations for or against.
J.H. Dahl, Chairman of Commission II, took the chair
J.H. Dahl, Président de la Commission II, assume la présidence
Ocupa la presidencia, J.H. Dahl, Presidente de la Comisión II
CHAIRMAN: Distinguished delegates, we will now take up Item 14, United Nations/FAO World Food Programme. This item will be introduced by the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, Mr. Vogel.
G.N. VOGEL (World Food Programme): Although I have the pleasure of meeting some of you at the recent session of the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes, this is my first official contact with you as Executive Director of the World Food Programme, with you as representatives of the full membership of the FAO, one of WFP's two parent organizations. I therefore commence my task of keeping you informed about WFP's activities and obtaining from you your ideas and guidance concerning the field within which we operate.
WFP's basic aim and method of using food aid to help people help themselves has had a great attraction for me firstly, ever since I bacame acquainted with the Programme. In the service of my own government in private industry, or with the Canadian Wheat Board, my lifetime career has been in food. It was therefore a source of great satisfaction to me when I was selected to serve as the Programme's Executive Director. My experience since assuming this function almost two months ago has strengthened that feeling of satisfaction.
Serviced by a capable and, dedicated staff and guided by an understanding intergovernmental body, I have found the Programme vigorously pursuing its purposes. I am aware of the contributions which my predecessors have made to this state of affairs and I keenly feel the responsibility which is now mine.
This Commission as before it the Report of the FAO Council on its most recent session, which in paragraph 18 indicates that the Council endorses a target of $950 million for pledges to the WFP during the biennium 1979–80 and presents for recommended adoption by you a draft resolution establishing this target and requesting the Secretary-General in cooperation with the Director-General of FAO to convene a pledging conference early in 1978.
Recently, in New York, I spoke to the Second Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations, WFP's other parent body, which, in accordance with a recommendation of the Economic and Social Council, endorsed for adoption by the plenary of the General Assembly a resolution similar in content to the draft now before you.
The Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes recommended the target figure of $950 million at its Fourth Session. In so doing, it recalled that, in accordance with the Programmes's regulations, pledges could be made in the form of commodities, services and cash, but that the cash and services components should, in the aggregate, amount to at least one-third of total contributions. I should like to stress that it is of great importance for the operations of the Programme that the aim of one-third of contributions in cash or services be achieved.
The Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes reached agreement on the target figure of $950 million after careful consideration at both its Third and Fourth Sessions. I believe that, in proposing the figure, the Committee struck, the best possible balance taking into account the needs of the developing countries on one hand and the aspect of attainability of the target on the other. I am therefore hopeful that this figure will also meet with the approval of the Conference.
While this figure $950 million is a substantial one, nearly one-third higher than the target for 1977–78 which we hope to attain before the end of the current biennium, I should emphasize that the apparent increase is misleading and that the attainment of this target by itself would not permit an expansion of the Programme's activities. Taking into account the requirements of previously approved projects and the balance of resources expected to be on hand at the end of 1978, new resources at the $950 million level for 1979–80 would only allow the Programme to continue making commitments to development projects at the rate of $300 million per year, as it is doing this year and hopes to do in 1978. Yet, the Programme has requests in various stages of preparation which would cost WFP in the order of $600 million. These include many requests from least developed and most seriously affected countries and for assistance to projects which are of top priority. There are, therefore, clearly ample opportunities for WFP, if given the resources, to extend its development assistance.
In concordance with the remarks of the Director-General in his opening speech before the Conference, I would stress that while there are welcome and hopeful features in the overall food and agriculture situation in the world, there are countries and regions populated by many millions, where malnutrition prevails and even worsens, and where more employment and higher incomes are sorely needed. This situation presents a continuing challenge to the WFP, and to all food aid programmes, but especially to those like WFP which distribute food directly in the poor through the project approach. This is more a question of judicious investment than one of simple solidarity, since we build human resources and skills through feeding projects and projects which use food as an incentive to work.
There can be, and there should be if we heed the prescriptions of the World Food Conference and the World Food Council, a greater shift in food aid from bilateral to multilateral channels and hence a greater proportion of global food aid directly focussed upon self-help projects. There will then be a
surer, increase in welfare, a more certain reduction in inequality and a greater investment affect and a better future. Also as far as WFP is concerned, it should not be overlooked that for every twenty dollars of aid channelled through the programme, only about one dollar is spent on administration.
The Chairman of our Conference, in his opening remarks, spoke very movingly about the need for giving special attention to the feeding of hungry children, and about the effects of malnutrition on their future lives and development. I should like the Conference to know that this year, about 43 percent of WFP's commitments are for school feeding programmes or for programmes for supplementary feeding of pre-school children, pregnant women and nursing mothers. Under one of them, for example, 70 000 tons of food costing $28 million will be used to provide supplementary feeding to over one and a half million children and mothers in India, over a period of only 18 months.
Also may I add in this connection that WFP is giving full support to the praiseworthy objectives of the International Year of the Child to be observed in 1979. We see reflected in them the essentials of our own aims as far as they effect the better welfare of children in all parts of the world. Over the life of our Programme more than $750 million, or more than a quarter of our total resources to date, have been devoted to improving the nutritional status of vulnerable groups comprising not only pregnant and nursing mothers but also pre-school children and children of primary school age. Our assistance usually takes the form of supplementary diet to complement the food received at home and so make up for deficiencies in proteins, fats and certain minerals and vitamins. WFP aid to the vulnerable groups is particularly well fitted to help and, in some cases, to stimulate governments to give increasing attention to attacking malnutrition among those sections of the population where it represents a major problem.
In accordance with United Nations and WFP's own priorities, the Programme continued in 1977 to concentrate its aid on the least developed and the most seriously affected countries. More than three-quarters of our annual commitments went to these countries, if we include assistance to Viet Nam, whose inclusion in the list of most seriously affected countries was recently recommended by the General Assembly.
These are typical of the projects in many other countries where we operate. I believe you will agree that the kind of activities which I have described are of the greatest value and that they merit to be expanded. As I have already said, however, we will be able to continue at the current level during 1978 only if pledges for 1977–78, which now stand at $615 million, reach the target for this biennium of $750 million. I therefore strongly urge donors which have not yet already done so to announce their pledges for the current biennium at an early date, as well as others in a position to do so, to make additional pledges so as to attain this target in the very near future.
As regards the possibility of expanding activities in the 1977–78 period, I have already told you that this would require resources in excess of the $950 million pledging target. It is therefore very appropriate for the draft resolution on the pledging conference to express the hope that the resources contemplated by the target figure will be augmented by substantial contributions from other sources in recognition of the prospective volume of sound project requests and the capacity of the Programme to operate at a higher level.
Among resources in addition to regular pledges which have greatly benefitted the Programme to date are the grains which signatories to the Food Aid Convention have chosen to make available to us in satisfaction of their obligation to provide food grains as aid to developing countries. The Food Aid Convention of the International Wheat Agreement 1971 is running out in June 1978, but I am confident that it will be immediately succeeded by another. I refer in this connection to the recommendation made in the Manila Communique that the new Food Aid Convention should be established with a view to contributing in an appropriate manner to the attainment of the target approved by the World Food Conference of 10 million tons of grain as food aid per year and that the negotiations should cover provisions for the movement of a larger amount of that food aid through the World Food Programme. We understand the last recommendation to mean that aid channelled through WFP under the Food Aid Convention should continue to be additional to regular pledges to the Programme.
Further in addition to regular pledges, another new and important resource of the WFP is the International Emergency Food Reserve established pursuant to a recommendation of the General Assembly at its Seventh Special Session. You will recall that the Assembly proposed that this Reserve should be placed at the disposal of the WFP so as to strengthen the Programme's capacity to deal with crisis situations in developing countries and that the Reserve should have a minimum level of 500 000 tons. Although the establishment of such a Reserve was unanimously accepted by governments in 1975, the proposal level has not yet been reached. The contributions made so far since the inception on a cumulative basis amount to a little over 400 000 tons.
At present, of this amount, 258 000 tons remain available taking into account withdrawals already made as well as new contributions recently announced including quantities which will become available early in 1978. I should like to express the appreciation of the WFP to all countries which are already participating in the Reserve, namely: Norway, Sweden, the Federal Republic of Germany, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia and the European Economic Community and to express the hope that they will soon be joined by others. Also in this appeal for wider participation, I would include countries able to make cash contributions, as this would greatly increase the effectiveness of the Reserve as an international contingency fund. In the longer run, I hope that there will prove to be no ambiguity about the fact that the Reserve should be a continuing Reserve, subject to replenishment.
I wish in this connection also to inform the Conference that the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes decided at its recent meeting to increase our annual allocation for emergency assistance from $40 to $45 million in both 1977 and 1978. Allocations for subsequent years will be decided in the light of a review in the 1978 Autumn session of the Committee, based on a study to be conducted by WFP jointly with FAO and the United Nations.
The demand for emergency food assistance has increased considerably in the current year. Since the beginning of 1977, the Director-General of FAO has authorized 23 emergency operations at a total cost of nearly $48 million. Eighty-sevent percent of these resources will be used to aid victims of natural disasters, amongst which droughts predominated, the remainder will aid victims of man-made disasters. Requirements over the coming months are now estimated to be substantially higher as a result of critical situations in Viet Nam and Laos and in certain countries of the Sahel.
In regard to the Sahel, there is a danger that the devastating drought of the early 70s may to some extent be repeating itself, and consequently the Director-General and I, along with others, are watching carefully the now worsening situation there. I expect to visit the region soon to become directly acquainted with the facts. Meanwhile, we had the benefit of the visit to the recent fourth session of the CFA of the Minister of Rural Development of Niger, His Excellency Βoulama Manga, who is also Minister Coordinator for the Inter-State Committee for the Struggle Against Drought in the Sahel, who said that his Committee estimated that emergency food needs of the affected Sahelian states are already of the order of a minimum of 500 000 tons, and appealed to all potential donors to respond to these needs at the earliest possible time.
Although WFP is doing, and will do, its best within its available resources to help in this worsening situation, it is already clear that the entire needs of the area cannot be met from WFP's resources alone. It is therefore evident than the world community must take further necessary relief action.
During the recent CFA discussions I had the honour to chair a meeting of potential donors of such aid, at which a number of governments informed us of their probable or definite contributions, and I hope we will soon get further similar announcements from others who were then not yet ready to announce the extent of their participation in Sahelian drought relief. We have all learned from past experience that there are considerable logistical difficulties in supplying relief operations in the Sahelian zone. If all donors were to attempt to provide assistance at the same time, congestion in the ports of arrival would again inevitably occur, increasing the difficulties and costs of moving the food to the stricken areas, and delaying help to the needy. Permit me therefore to stress the importance of the closest cooperation among donors, in which WFP accepted to play the role of coordinator, as we have frequently done before in similar situations.
The present favourable global situation obviously has a bearing on the ability of food exporting donor countries to provide food aid. It may be thought that at the same time it would reduce the need for assistance from WFP. However, I repeat that by no means all developing countries have shared in the bounty. A larger number of the most seriously affected countries are in greater need of food imports than ever before. Moreover, even in countries where good harvests would reduce or eliminate, for the time being, the need for bulk aid to meet import requirements, the need for WFP's aid may continue, for WFP rations are primarily distributed directly to people who do not have the means to satisfy their nutritional needs in the market. At the same time, a temporary improvement in the food supply situation does not of itself enable the Governments concerned to take over the support which WFP has been extending to some development projects.
This being so, I should like to end my statement by again appealing to all countries in a position to do so, to contribute generously to the Programme. I urge you all to regard the Pledging Conference, and the attainment of the 1977–78 and 1979–80 targets, as matters of urgent humanitarian importance.
F. SHEFRIN (Canada): From the Canadian point of view, this is one of our favourite programmes, and from the very beginning Canada has been very actively involved, and takes every opportunity to speak on the subject.
First of all, I would like to congratulate the Executive Director on his excellent introduction. I only wish I had had it three weeks earlier, as I could then have telexed it home, and I would not have needed to work so hard at the meeting of the World Food Programme, because he has covered everything so well. Indeed, we can find nothing to disagree with - and not because he is a Canadian, that would encourage us to disagree with him. The only point of disagreement would be on how much more should be done - that is the important aspect.
For us, the World Food Programme is one of the big success stories in the United Nations family. It is a programme which started with considerable doubt, on an experimental basis, with a figure of 100 millon dollars for three years, and the pledges barely reached 70 million dollars in the first year - a shortfall of 30 million dollars. Now, the programme is receiving more than $200 million a year, and is likely to rise to over $200 million a year.
It is also a story of action. Too many of the activities in the United Nations have been studies -feasibility studies and more feasibility studies, which are of course necessary, or meeting upon meeting, at which we discuss the same items and say the same things time and time again. But in the World Food Programme, from our experience of it since the very early days, since 1963, has been an agency of action, and through its programme it has reached the very needy people. It has not stopped along the way for the benefit of others, but it has remained a programme basically for the needy people, and it involves them in action programmes as well as assisting them. That is what makes this such an interesting programme. Yesterday people were speaking about a “bureaucratic committee”. That does not apply to this programme. We are moving in the right direction in strengthening this agency, because I am sure we all agree that it is the very poor that must be helped. They are of course the hardest to work with. It is easier to handle such matters in a big city with central machinery, but I would rather see higher administrative costs to ensure that the assistance goes where it is most needed.
The Programme is important because it supplements food supplies where they are most needed. It is a programme which involves economic development and encourages the use of food aid for employment, a programme which is calling upon representatives to work with it. It is also a social development programme, wherever there is a question of encouraging education in the public schools, encouraging education at the training level, improving vocational facilities, and improving the food which goes into hospitals. It has a tremendous diversity.
What we also like about the Programme is that it does not only involve the Food Programme per se of the FAO or the United Nations in New York - it also involves Unesco, ILO, WHO, and many other agencies who become involved - and this in itself is a very important contribution towards having many agencies working together for a similar and common objective.
In respect to the target, as has been said by the Head of our delegation, and as our own delegation had indicated in the Committee for Food Aid in the Council, we support the $950 million target but we must also be realistic about that target. We believe that, as the Executive Director said, there must be new contributions, and there is scope for new contributions. There are many contributors who are now in a position to carry out their pledges, and this is also essential if the Programme is going to be successful.
We support the Resolution. We would like to congratulate the Executive Director for picking up the language of this Organization so quickly - indeed, while listening to him, I had the feeling that he had been around for a very long time.
S. JUMA’A (Jordan) (interpretation from Arabic): First of all, I would like to congratulate the
Director on his post and on the brilliant explanation he has given of the activities of the Programme. What he has told us is not only a reflection of his own opinions, but of those of all concerned as regards Canada's assistance since the outset.
This Programme is clearly the best ever set up within the international community. It touches the furthest flung corners of the world. Our Organization's reputation in most developing countries is mainly due to the existence of this Programme. The Programme then has a very important role to play, because it contributes tangible advantages to all. It is not just a matter of publishing documents and adopting recommendations which nobody reads.
We feel that the figure proposed by the World Food Programme is a very modest one and a very realistic one. I think we are bound to adopt it and to support it, and we trust that all States, whether they are traditionally donor countries or countries which have the means to become donor countries, will annonce their pledges as soon as possible. In this context I would like to pay tribute to the aid given by Saudi Arabia to this Programme. I hope that all countries with vast national resources, such as oil, or others - indeed all the wealthy countries - will effectively assist this programme and we hope to hear very soon that these countries will respond to this appeal.
I. OZORAI (Hungary): My delegation would like to express its appreciation of the World Food Programme, and to wish every success to the newly appointed Executive Director and to his staff.
Hungary is a member of the Committee on Food Aid Policies, and as a contributor to the World Food Programme feels that the activity of the Programme offers substantial assistance in food emergencies in the countries concerned. We particularly appreciate the aid which has recently been approved by the CFA to Viet Nam, for her reconstruction and her rehabilitation.
My delegation supports the pledging target in paragraph 18 of CL 72/REP. I should also like to refer to paragraph 19 of the same document appealing for new pledges to be pledged at the forthcoming pledging conference. Giving attention to this paragraph, my Minister in his statement to the Plenary, announced that Hungary is going to increase her contribution to the Programme by 20 percent starting from 1 January 1979. This will be duly repeated, Mr. Chairman, at the Pledging Conference early in 1978.
K. REXED (Sweden): Sweden welcomes the appointment of Mr. Garson Vogel as Executive Director of the WFP. We have already seen him in action, newly appointed, at the fourth session of the CFA, and been much impressed by his capacity and his leadership. His introduction to this item of the agenda was good evidence of this and of his quick grasp of programme activities and problems.
To his predecessor, Mr. Thomas Robinson, we give our sincere thanks for his excellent leadership during an important period of the WFP's existence. His dedication to the WFP and his emphasis on efficiency has contributed to establishing the WFP as the unquestioned authority on food aid.
Sweden has been a member of the board of WFP for three years. During this period, the WFP has assumed new responsibilities and gone through a period of rapid expansion. We have thus had the honour of serving on the CFA during an especially interesting period on the World Food Programme.
Sweden's term of office ends on 31 December of this year. In accordance with the principle of rotation between Nordic Countries in international bodies, Norway has been elected by ECOSOC to succeed Sweden as member of the CFA. Sweden hopes to be able to serve again on the CFA. Meanwhile we will continue our support for WFP and will, as observers, follow the work of CFA with great interest.
It is against this background that we will now make some comments on the WFP's activities. After a period of rapid expansion after the World Food Conference, the WFP now aims at maintaining an annual commitment level of US$ 300 million during the coming biennium. On this basis, the CFA has proposed a pledging target of US$ 950 million for the biennium 1979–80. Sweden supports this target.
Seen in relation to the target of US$ 750 million for the present biennium, it does however represent an ambitious increase. New and increased pledges will be needed if the target is to be met. An informal meeting of new and traditional donors held before the formal Pledging Conference, might aid in achieving both the target and a just burden-sharing between donors.
The cash share of contributions to the WFP is still well below the one-third of the aggregate prescribed in the general rules. The Executive Director pointed in his general introduction to a need for an increase in this share. In our view developed donor countries which give less than one-third of their contribution in cash or services should therefore consider increasing the cash share of their contribution towards one third.
The present composition of the CFA represents a balance between donor and recipient countries. This balance is essential for the fulfillment of its coordinating and policy formulating tasks. It should not be changed without consultations between the groups concerned.
The CFA has at its May and October sessions this year adopted new general rules for the World Food Programme. Sweden is pleased to note the consensus reached at the Fourth Session of the CFA on the support for liberation movements approved by the UN and OAU. We thus fully endorse the interpretative statement made by the CFA on the relevant paragraph of the general rules. The new general rules clearly set out the new coordinating and policy formulating function of the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes. These functions are separate from the traditional function of the former Intergovernmental Committee on the World Food Programme that is the running of the WFP itself. The Executive Director of the WFP and the CFA might now give attention to how this should be reflected in the administrative and financial structure of the World Food Programme.
Two of the most urgent of the food aid policy questions are the recommendations for an increased multilateral channeling of food aid and for forward planning of food aid. Sweden has accepted, and for its part, implemented these recommendations and urges other donors to do likewise.
The World Food Programme is mainly supporting development projects through food-for-work projects or through nutrition intervention programmes. The Executive Director has in his introductory statement pointed to the great value and the great extent of these activities. We fully support the present policy of concentrating these activities to LDC and MSA countries. Increased attention should be given to the dangers of negative effects on production and marketing structures and consumption patterns in the recipient countries.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, Sweden has during its term in the Committee on Food Aid and Programmes, especially supported WFP's capacity for emergency relief, and has urged that it should be improved. Sufficient resources should be made available for the direct emergency operations decided by the Director General of FAO. The Programme should continue its aid to refugees, especially in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and to reconstruction efforts. The possibilities of supplementing the direct emergency operations with more purposeful projects under the quick action procedure or under the authority of the Executive Director should be studied. Here we welcome the study on the World Food Programme's Emergency Relief activities that will be prepared for the 1978 fall session of the CFA.
M. DESSOUKI (Egypt) (interpretation from Arabic): First of all I would congratulate Mr. Vogel on his appointment to Executive Director of the World Food Programme. Mr. Vogel is a citizen of great power who has always participated actively in the programme's work and has given particular importance to the programme. In view of this we are convinced that the Executive Director will not fail to reflect this specifically in the programme through the special attention he will pay to its activities.
We feel that it is an action-oriented programme and we have always drawn attention to this sort of programme. We are among the countries that benefit most from the activities of this programme and as a member of the CFA we would express considerable satisfaction with the work done by the programme in order to satisfy the needs of the recipient countries and the aid given and the important priorities involved.
We would like to thank the donor countries and we hope that the established objective will be reached as regards participation because several of our development projects depend on this assistance. We have had interest shown by both developed and developing countries in improving food standards, especially in the most seriously affected countries. This is the reason why we invite donor countries to diversify their aid and participation in order to reflect such a varied range of needs.
We would pay special homage to the aid given by Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is also giving special assistance to the World Food Programme and this is helping us to maintain the excellent level of activities within the programme.
B.P. DHITAL (Nepal): At the outset the Nepalese delegation would like to congratulate and highly commend the Executive Director of the World Food Programme for presenting the activities of WFP in a comprehensive and lucid manner.
We wish the Executive Director further success in his efforts to help the needy countries. The assistance provided by WFP has been of great help to many needy countries, and Mr. Chairman, Nepal has been one of them to receive WFP assistance and naturally we are grateful for the assistance.
WFP has a novel task for feeding the hungry. The basic objectives of WFP to help the needy countries to help themselves has been fulfilled in many instances.
The greater emphasis now of distributing food directly in rural areas through work programmes on project approach has greatly helped not only to meet the food deficit but also it has created additional employment to help increase the income of the rural poor.
In the light of the importance of the programme and the need for food aid, we think that the target of voluntary contributions of US$ 950 million for the biennium 1979–80 is reasonable, and we support the proposal. We hope that these resources will be augmented by substantial additional contributions during the Pledging Conference.
P.G. STAVNUM (Norway): As the Norwegian Minister of Agriculture said in his general statement last week, Norway fully supports the pledging target of $950 million for the biennium 1979–80 as recommended by the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes at its last Session. My delegation supports the draft resolution to this effect.
A pledging target of $950 million will enable World Food Programmes to keep up its present level of commitments of about $300 million to projects for social and economic development during the next two to three years. We have full confidence that the World Food Programme has the capacity, as well as the capability, to deal with such a commitment level. A target of $950 million, however, presupposes increased contributions to the programme. We therefore urge traditional as well as new donor countries to make every effort to ensure the full attainment of this target.
As far as Norway is concerned, we are prepared to take our share of this increased commitment. Norway's total contribution to the World Food Programme in 1977 amounts to about $19 million. Norway is thus among the major contributors to the programme. By far the greatest part of Norway's food aid consists of fish and fish products.
We have noted with satisfaction the increased interest in fish meal for human consumption, the so-called fish protein concentrate, type B. The result of the acceptability tests recently undertaken by FAO shows that FPC, type B, has been favourably received in many countries where the population is used to eating fish.
Through the World Food Programme, Norway will finance FPC pilot projects in a number of countries in Africa and Asia, where the acceptability tests have been positive. We believe that food protein concentrate, type B, could constitute an important protein supplement to the diet of large population groups.
Norway has, for the last few years, participated in CFA as an observer. However, as a result of the close cooperation among the Nordic countries, and in accordance with the principle of rotation, Norway will succeed Sweden as a member of the CFA as from 1 January 1978. We look forward to participating actively in the CFA in the future.
J.S. KHAN (Pakistan): Like previous speakers, the Pakistan Delegation would also like to congratulate Mr. Vogel on his appointment as the new Executive Director of the Programme. We welcome his appointment and we wish him well and all success in the challenging task before him.
We also want to take this opportunity of placing on record our appreciation of the services rendered by his predecessor, Mr. Robinson, who has served the Programme sincerely and with devotion.
Since FAO is a co-parent of the programme, these biennial conferences afford us a very valuable opportunity to comment on the growth and development of our Programme. Pakistan would like to say that we are fully satisfied with the commendable role being performed by WFP in promoting socio-economic development and in meeting emergency situations.
Today, the Programme enjoys the support and the confidence of all, both the donors and the recipients, and we feel it has effectively demonstrated the value of multilateral food aid. We recognize that the success of the Programme depends, to a great extent, on the support of the donors, and my delegation would like to place on record our appreciation for the support shown by all the traditional donors and the new donors, particularly from OPEC. Here again, I would like to single out - like Egypt - the valuable contribution made by Saudi Arabia.
The Pakistan delegation is also in agreement with the broad policy measures which are today being followed by the Programme, with their focus on food-for-work projects aimed at the poorest sections of the rural community, as well as the feeding of vulnerable groups, in addition, of course, to the responsibility of the Programme to respond to emergency situations.
We also feel that the emphasis on assisting the most deserving countries, like the LDCs and MSAs, is a correct one, and we would hope that these policies would continue in the future.
We would like to suggest that during the current improved world food situation and with increased food grain availability, the Programme could play an expanded and useful role in promoting food security, through helping to build up and to maintain food reserves. We hope that the Programme will pay serious attention to this as an important new policy measure.
The Pakistan delegation is also satisfied with the beginning made by the new reconstituted governing body, the CFA. We think it has got off to a good start. It has an expanded role to play, apart from the management of the Programme, it has important new policy functions to perform.
Mr. Vogel, in his very interesting introductory statement, touched upon several of these important new policy functions, and we would not like to add anything else, we have noted those. But there is one point to which we want to draw attention, one important new policy function which has fallen on the shoulders of the Committee. That is the development of an improved policy framework for food aid. Here my delegation feels that progress has been slow. The broad guidelines of an improved policy for food aid have already been laid down by the World Food Conference and they have been futher eleborated by the World Food Council. We would urge that the CFA, as recommended by the 3rd Session of the World Food Council, should intensify its efforts to develop and implement an improved policy framework for food aid. We would suggest that the aim of this policy should be to improve the level and direction, the stability and usefulness of food aid, and to promote nutrition, employment and development in recipient countries.
We hope that the CFA will be able to work our more direct aims of this new policy and present the results to us by the next session of this Conference.
Finally, on this all important question of the pledging target, my delegation fully supports the target of $950 million for the 1979–80 biennium, as well as the Draft Resolution before us. We are convinced that the Programme has developed the capacity and it has the ability and it has the managerial efficiency to handle a programme of this magnitude. This fact, coupled with the actual and growing requirements of developing countries, leads us to hope that the target will not only be achieved, but will be exceeded.
We have noted particularly the information given to us by Mr. Vogel that this target is a minimum target, just to keep the programme operational at current levels. We would hope that these resources would be augmented by additional resources over and above the target.
Finally, let me say that Pakistan - although a recipient developing country - will continue, as always, to make its modest contribution towards the attainment of the target.
K. ANDERSEN (Denmark): On behalf of the Danish delegación, I would like to recollect what our Minister said in the Plenary a few days ago. He have his full support to the World Food Programme and the proposed pledging target of $950 million for 1979–80. At the same time, he declared that the Danish government has agreed upon an increase of the Danish contribution to 100 million kroner in 1979, and to 110 million kroner in 1980, subject to parliamentary approval. He gave the World Food Programme his assurance of a continued active cooperation on the part of the Danish government.
At the last meeting in the CFA, a few weeks ago, here in Rome, the Danish delegation supported and urged the World Food Programme to continue with the present annual commitment rate of $300 million for new economic and social development projects. At the same time, we expressed our satisfaction that the activities of the World Food Programme, to a still larger extent, are concentrated on these development projects in the LDC and MSA countries.
Some may recall that we had a lengthy discussion on the item of emergency operations at the same meeting, and on the role of the World Food Programme. The Danish position on this item has always been very clear. We have, over the years, supported the idea of the allocation of some resources to emergency purposes, in order to help distressed people.
We therefore agreed to the proposed level of $40 million annually for this purpose. We have agreed to the increase in the emergency allocation of $5 million in 1977 and 1978, but we find, as a matter of principle, that emergency assistance, if necessary, should be financed to a higher degree from the International Emergency Food Reserve, in order to secure that the resources in the World Food Programme are available for regular development assistance which, in our opinion, is the very task of the World Food Programme.
As we stated at the 4th CFA meeting, we support that a study on emergencies suggested by Canada should be prepared by the WFP Secretariat, and we are looking forward to the presentation and the debate at the 6th Meeting of the CFA next autumn.
A.F. CHOWDHURY (Bangladesh): Let me join other delegates in congratulating Mr. Vogel on his appointment to the high post of Executive Director of the World Food Programme. My delegation also congratulates the Executive Director on his very comprehensive and forthright presentation of the World Food Programme's role in helping the LDC and MSA countries.
As is known to all of us, the WFP has been trying to attack the problems of malnutrition among the vulnerable groups of people like mothers, and children, and also providing employment through the food-for-work programme to millions of unemployed and under-employed rural level work force.
Bangladesh is one of the LDC and MSA countries, and we have been receiving substantial World Food Programme assistance through vulnerable group feeding programmes, food-for-work programmes and also emergency food aid.
Recently, in April of this year, in one of our districts, the early floods destroyed the crop completely, and WFP very quickly acted to come up with emergency food aid and that saved the situation. Otherwise, there could have been a situation of famine and hunger, and we have especially to thank the World Food Programme for moving very fast and very effectively in those critical days.
My delegation also thanks the World Food Programme for all the assistance that we have been receiving and also donor countries who have been making donations to this multilateral aid.
We have published a book called “War on Hunger”, based on the food-for-work programme that we have been running with the WFP's assistance, and the booklet is now available in the document section. I would request fellow delegates kindly to look at the booklet.
The scope of the food-for-work programme in our country is almost unlimited. As is known, Bangladesh is a fused delta accretion, formed by the mighty rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Jamuna, carrying billions of tons of silt every year. So there is almost unlimited scope for the clearance of silt and the development of land and water resources. We have been greatly benefited by this food-for-work programme in developing our water and land resources. I was actually ready to make a long statement about the necessity of revising the food rates, but in deference to the wishes of the Chairman, I do not want to dilate on that, but I want to draw the attention of the Commission and also the Executive Director that in order to achieve better the developmental results out of this food-for-work programme, it is necessary to revise the norm of food rates in the food-for-work programme. The reasons I explained separately during my discussion with the senior officials of the food-for-work programme and I do not want to dilate on this, but I just want to draw the attention of the World Food Programme authorities to this important aspect so that we can more effectively use this food aid in developing the water and land resources in our countries.
My delegation also supports the Executive Director's proposal for having food reserves for the food security of the deficit countries, and my delegation is supporting this proposal very strongly.
We also support the proposal of the Executive Director for the $950 million of budget for the biennium 1979–81, and we also support the draft resolution before us. In fact, WFP is in a position to absorb more than what has been asked for in the coming biennium.
H. REDL (Austria) (interpretation from German): Mr. Chairman, I shall be brief, but if I may, I would like to make just a few comments. To begin with, I would like to thank the Executive Director for his very clear and complete introduction to the item, and I wish him every success in his new position.
I would like to give you my view of the document. My country has always supported WFP activities, and so we note with satisfaction that cooperation during this year has been very harmonious for both parties concerned.
Turning now to the paper before us, I would like to say that we will continue to support all the future activities of the WFP, to the best of our ability. We are particularly glad that the food produce placed at the disposal of WFP for emergency aid to developing countries is large, and we are glad to see that the WFP costs are being kept low.
With respect to the resolution, I would like to say that we can accept the target for that period.
A. FASLA (Algérie): Je voudrais tout d'abord souhaiter la bienvenue à M. Vogel au sein du PAM, comme nouveau directeur exécutif et l'assurer du soutien de l'Algérie dans sa nouvelle mission qui est certes très difficile, mais en même temps très noble, et pour laquelle la communauté internationale doit l'aider.
Le Programme alimentaire mondial est l'un des meilleurs programmes existant au sein du système des Nations Unies, C'est un programme d'action, un programme qui grâce au dévouement et à l'efficacité des fonctionnaires qu'il emploie, grâce au souci d'économie qui préside à cette action - le directeur exécutif a indiqué que sur 20 dollars de dépenses, un dollar seulement allait aux dépenses de l'administration alors que, dans certaines institutions, plus de la moitié du budget est absorbé par les dépenses administratives - grâce à cela et grâce à la solidarité agissante et qui devrait se renforcer, de la communauté internationale, le Programme a permis à des millions d'êtres humains, notamment aux couches les plus misérables, d'être soulagés de la faim, de la misère même.
Nous apprécions l'aide qu'accorde le PAM aux réfugiés, de même que nous voudrions souligner le rôle prédominant du PAM dans les projets de développement dont nombre de pays en développement dont l'Algérie ont bénéficié et dire que nous souhaiterions que cette orientation soit maintenue et renforcée.
Le soutien du PAM aux programmes nationaux dans le domaine social, dans le domaine de l'éducation, de l'emploi et autres, est très appréciable et très important. Si nous estimons que la priorité devrait aller aux pays les plus pauvres, et c'est normal, nous considérons également que les pays qui font des efforts pour leur développement ne devraient pas être pénalisés, et qu'une attention devrait leur être accordée si jamais ils en font la demande.
Je voudrais dire en terminant que l'objectif de 950 millions de dollars proposé est un objectif raisonnable, si l'on tient compte de l'ampleur de l'assistance demandée, et si l'on tient compte du fait que l'assistance demeure en termes réels à son niveau actuel. Ma délégation appuie fermement le projet de résolution.
Y, LIKE (Ethiopia): May I congratulate Mr. Vogel upon his appointment as Executive Director to head this not only humanitarian but also in its own way a development organization, WFP. We believe that this food aid does not and should not only help to asist the immediate needs of the needy, to save lives and produce healthier and stronger people for a better society, but it also contributes to undertake development programmes, which has a multiplier factor in development.
My Government is one of those countries which received food aid assistance at and through our bad days following one of the worst droughts in our history.
Mr. Chairman, the Executive Director, the Commissioner for Relief and Rehabilitation, would have liked to be present at this point of the session, but for reasons beyond his control he has not been able to make it because he is in New York for similar purposes, but accept my appreciation for this gesture and act by the WFP and through it to all donors.
We are also one of those first countries to use food distribution with partial cash payments to undertake development programmes like road construction and settlement programmes in agricultural fields. We therefore encourage the Executive Director and recipient countries to increase the effectiveness of the food aid programme through undertaking food development programmes.
Finally, we would fully endorse the Executive Director's proposition of $950 million pledging target, the level of the food reserve, and his intention to encourage those who can to make further contribution to this noble aim, increasing its activity of providing food aid to the hungry and the malnourished.
G. CHACON (Ecuador): En primer lugar, nuestros mejores deseos, señor Vogel, en su cargo de Director Ejecutivo del PMA. Nuestro país reconoce los esfuerzos, la actividad pragmática que la cumplido la ayuda del PMA en nuestro país, sobre todo como generador de fuentes de trabajo y de la amplicación de la frontera agrícola en las zonas de la región amazónica. Consideramos altamente apropiada la eficiencia administrativa del PMA al utilizar apenas el cinco por ciento de sus recursos en tales efectos.
Los puntos fundamentales que deseo dejar aquí planteados son los siguientes: como se prevé el incremento a 950 millones, y esperamos nuestro reconocimiento a los países desarrollados que ya han manifestado aquí su compromiso de ofertas, creemos que debería estudiarse que la tercera parte que se prevé sea en efectivo, se contribuya a los nuevos proyectos para generar así posiblemente la adquisición de algunos alimentos conocidos por los grupos marginales en sus propios países o en el nivel regional, de tal manera que los alimentos provenientes de los países desarrollados, muchas veces desconocidos para los sectores campesinos de un medio, puedan combinarse con ciertos productos que podrían producir los pequeños agricultores organizados en los países en desarrollo. También desearía dejar aquí planteado cuál va a ser en el futuro la relación entre el PMA directamente y los representantes de FAO o del Director General. Les hablo por la situación de mi país. En la actualidad el representante del PMA es el representante del PNUD, pero como próximamente el Director General de la FAO tendrá su representante personal en nuestro país, desearíamos conocer si él será el encargado de los asuntos del PMA.
KWANG SHIK WON (Korea, Rep. of): First of all, I would like to express my thanks to the Executive Director of the World Food Programme for his very clear and comprehensive explanation and the introduction to the World Food Programme.
Mr. Chairman, my delegation is fully aware of the importance of the programme and appreciate very much the contribution made by the programmes for the reduction of poverty, improvement of nutrition, easing emergency situation in food supply and development of food, and agricultural development as a whole. In this regard I recognize that the target of $950 million would be very much reasonable and realistic for donor and the recipient country as a whole as well. Therefore, on behalf of my government my delegation would like to express our full support for the resolution on the target for WFP pledges for the period of 1979–1980, which was transmitted by the Seventy Seventy-Second Session of the Council.
A.L. ZAIDAN (Kuwait) (interpretation from Arabic): To begin with I would like to congratule the new Executive Director of the World Food Programme on his appointment and I wish him every success in the future. Kuwait feels that the document which refers to the WFP is excellent, and we approve it. We are convinced that the Programme is a basic requirement of the Third World countries who wish to try and meet the requirements of their population in the face of natural disasters and malnutrition. Kuwait is going to try and give more than it has in the past to it. Our contribution appears in the statement made by the head of our delegation in Plenary. You can refer to it if you wish. As an oil producing country, Kuwait takes its responsibility towards its brother countries very seriously, as well as making every effort to develop its own economy and improve the society in Kuwait.
Mr. Chairman, we would like to support and welcome the efforts made by the OPEC countries in trying to find a protein in petroleum, and we hope that developed countries will do the same, and try to find alternative proteins in other products.
P. GRIFFIN (Ireland): First of all I would like to welcome Mr. Vogel on his first visit to the Conference. I have had the distinction, the honour, of meeting him before at the CFA session held last October, and Mr. Vogel has referred to his satisfaction on his appointment. I can assure him the satisfaction of the CFA, if I can interpret their feelings, is equally great this satisfaction is largely due to the fact that the CFA has always been efficient, action oriented and as Mr. Shefrin said, “a people orientated” Committee, and I think we have all felt Mr. Vogel is also all of these things.
However, to proceed, first of all I should say that Ireland has been on the CFA Committee for quite a number of years and the World Food Programme has always played a prominent part in our allocation of food aid, and whilst we cannot regard ourselves as a major donor indeed, nevertheless, per capita we are prominent. We have always been prominent, at least in per capita terms, and we have tried to keep our contribution in line with the increase each year. So it gives me great pleasure to say, as my Minister announced last week, Ireland supports the target of $950 million. In fact our delegation at the CFA explained the reasons why it supported the target, and, in fact, we do support it, but we also, like a number of other delegations, would urge those who have the potential to do so, and who do not contribute at the moment, to become donors to the programme. And those who feel they could increase their contribution to do so also. Incidently, I might mention that I am expecting - I am not stating
but I am expecting - that we will continue to tailor our contribution to the growing demands on the programme at the next Budgeting Conference. Now I hope that also we have under consideration at the moment the question of forward planning and I think that we may be able to assist in this way also. Well, I think that our views have been fairly often expressed on the World Food Programmes. It is not necessary for me to reiterate them in detail. However, we do approve the programmes, the broad lines of the programme policy, its concentration on MSA and LDC countries, and the emphasis it gives the feeding projects which are of vital importance, and some of which I have seen in operation myself, and I feel that they are certainly a tremendous contribution to human resources which are not only humanitarian work but are also an investment in the future development of the country concerned. I might say that we share the views expressed, I think it was by Sweden, that in so far as the cash resources have proved inadequate, though if I recollect aright they are improved, we would like also to urge those donors who do not give the full proportion of cash to do so and express our appreciation of the help that Saudi Arabia gives in this regard.
Finally, I am not quite certain what the delegate of Pakistan meant when he mentioned the policy framework, in regard to policy framework for food aid had been slow. I think what he did mean was perhaps the programme has been a little slow in implementing the new responsibilities which have devolved on it since it was reconstituted the CEA. If this is what he did mean I would agree and support what he has suggested, that perhaps we should do a little more in this direction of coordinating multilateral and bilateral food aid, considering the whole question of food aid as a unit, which is a task which was entrusted to us. With those words, Mr. Chairman, I conclude my remarks.
Mme L. DE AZEVEDO (Portugal): J'ai écoute avec beaucoup d'intérêt l'exposé si précis et utile que le Directeur exécutif du Programme alimentaire mondial vient de nous faire sur ce programme.
Au sujet de ce qui se passe dans mon pays, je voudrais dire ce qui suit:
Après la Conférence mondiale sur l'alimentation, et en réponse à certaines résolutions de cette Conférence, la Commission portugaise de la FAO a créé un Groupe de travail pour la nutrition qui a eu en vue de mettre à exécution au niveau national un programme coopératif d'éducation et de nutrition auquel participent les techniciens des Ministères de l'agriculture, des pèches, de la santé, de l'éducation et du commerce. Les services responsables du Programme de travail agissent surtout auprès des enfants d'âge scolaire par les professeurs de l'enseignement primaire, auprès des femmes enceintes et allaitantes par les techniciens de la Santé publique et auprès des populations rurales avec la collaboration des techniciens agricoles et d'économie familiale du Ministère de l'agriculture et des pèches.
Les programmes utilisent comme moyen d'action des cours de formation de base sur la nutrition et des journées de travail mensuelles pour la formation continue sur la nutrition, des colloques, des séminaires, des expositions dans les foires agricoles régionales les plus importantes, des campagnes sur certains thèmes spécifiques comme la valeur nutritionnelle du lait et ses dérivés protéiques, l'utilisation des pesticides, la conservation des aliments, la planification familiale, etc.
Nous avons aussi depuis le 28 janvier de cette année mis en exécution un projet pour une campagne d'éducation alimentaire qui touche toute la population portugaise en utilisant les moyens de vulgarisation auprès des masses, la radio, la télévision et la presse. Nous avons eu l'appui technique de la FAO pour cette campagne et nous espérons l'obtenir encore l'année prochaine.
A notre demande, et en prenant connaissance de l'action intensive de l'éducation en matière d'alimentation et de nutrition, que nous avons entreprise au Portugal, le PAM l'a approuvée au-delà du projet d'urgence pour les Portugais par d'autres projets d'aide alimentaire pour les enfants d'âge scolaire des régions les plus carencées, soit à peu près 300 000 enfants et par d'autres projets également pour les femmes enceintes et allaitantes assistées aux Centres de santé du pays, soit à peu prés 100 000 mères. Cette aide du PAM permet de corriger la carence protéique de l'alimentation des groupes de la population portugaise que je viens de citer.
Les résultats obtenus auprès des enfants se sont traduits par un meilleur rendement scolaire des élèves, un plus grand développement physique et une fréquentation des classes plus assidue, compte tenu d'une meilleure approche des parents vers l'école et les professeurs avec toutes les réussites qui en résultent.
Mon pays a assumé naturellement les frais de chargement et de transport des marchandises fournies: lait en poudre, fromages, et farine de blé, ainsi que tout contrôle technique et administratif nécessaire pour la réalisation de ces projets. La nécessité d'avoir des entrepôts pour le stockage des produits offerts a obligé notre gouvernement à faire des efforts pour disposer d'installations suffisantes aux niveaux national, régional et local, et pour développer aussi les moyens de transport indispensables de manière que les produits alimentaires puissent arriver aux écoles et aux centres de santé dans les
meilleures conditions d'utilisation. Ainsi, cette aide en produits alimentaires a été elle aussi à l'origine d'un processus de développement tris important au niveau des infrastructures nationales par les aides bénéfiques que les enfants et les mères du Protugal ont déjà reçues du PAM, de la FAO et autres organisations internationales, et qu'ils auront encore à recevoir dans l'avenir. Au nom de tous les enfants et mères du monde qui ont pu bénéficier de cette aide nous voulons dire un grand merci.
Nous voulons aussi vous rappeler que les hommes dans le futur seront ce que les hommes d'aujourd'hui voudraient qu'ils fussent, grâce aux aides de toutes sortes que ces derniers voudront ou pourront leur donner. En les sauvant aujourd'hui, ils assureront leur propre sauvetage de demain. La famine est sans doute l'arme la plus terrible pour la destruction de l'humanité. Nous sommes sûrs que si nous ne faisons pas aujourd'hui ce que nous devrions faire pour supprimer la famine dans un avenir pas trop lointain, nous mettrons en danger la sécurité et la paix dans le monde.
Avant de terminer, j'aimerais rappeler ce que les autres membres de ma délégation ont déjà dit. Il ne suffira pas de donner des aliments pour résoudre les graves problèmes liés à la famine et à la malnutrition; il sera indispensable aussi de donner à tous les peuples les possibilités de produire en quantité et en qualité suffisantes les aliments essentiels de façon à réduire au minimum la dépendance de certains pays à l'égard des autres. Le droit de vivre dans la véritable acceptation du terme est sacré et doit être le même pour tous les hommes.
Je finirai en exprimant mon espoir quant au résultat de cette Conférence, qui nous aidera à trouver les meilleures solutions aux graves problèmes que nous aurons à résoudre de manière que les conditions de vie soient les mêmes, ou presque les mêmes, les meilleures en tout cas, pour toutes les populations.
The meeting rose at 18.15 hours
La séance est levée a 18 h 15
Se levanta la sesión a las 18.15 horas
