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Excerpts From Kissinger's Speech at World Food Parley in Rome
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Excerpts From Kissinger's Speech at World Food Parley in Rome
Nov. 6, 1974
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ROME, Nov. 5 (AP)—Following are excerpts from Secretary of State Kissinger's speech today at the opening of the World Food Conference:
We must begin here with the challenge of food. No social system, ideology or principle of justice can tolerate a world in which the spiritual and physical potential of hundreds of millions is stunted from elemental hunger or inadequate nutrition. National pride or regional suspicions lose any moral and practical justification if they prevent us from overcoming, this scourge.
A generation ago many farmers were self‐sufficient; today fuel, fertilizer, capital and, technology are essential for their economic survival. A generation ago many nations were self‐sufficient. Today a few food exporters provide the margin between life and death for many millions.
World population is projected to double by the end of the century. It is clear that we must meet the food need that this entails. But it is equally clear that population cannot continue indefinitely to double every generation. At some point we will inevitably axceed the earth's capacity to sustain human life.
Help Is Needed
The responsibility for financing food imports cannot, however, rest with the food exporters alone. Over the next few years in particular, the financing needs of the food‐deficit developing countries will simply be too large for either their own limited resources or the traditional food aid donors.
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The oil exporters have a special responsibility in this regard, Many of them have income far in excess of that needed to balance their international poyments or to finance their economic development. The continuing massive transfer of wealth and the resulting impetus to worldwide inflation have shattered the ability of the developing countries to purchase food, fertilizer and other goods. And the economic crisis has severely reduced the imports of the industrialized countries from the developing nations.
Therefore, ways must be found to move more of the surplus oil revenue into longterm lending or grants to the poorer countries. The United States proposes that the development committee, created at the recent session of the governors of the International Bank and Monetary Fund, be charged with the urgent study of whether existing sources of financing are sufficient to meet the expected import requirements of developing countries.
If these sources are not sufficient, new means must be found to supplement them. This must become one of the priority objectives of the countries and institutions that have the major influence in the international monetary system.
Serious Health Problems
Supplies alone do not guarantee man's nutritional requirements. Even in developed countries, with ample supplies, serious health problems are caused by the wrong kinds and amounts of food. In developing countries, the problem is magnified. Not only inadequate distribution but also the rising cost of food dooms the poorest and the most vulnerable groups —children and mothers—to inferior quality as well as insufficient quantity of food. Even with massive gains in food production, the world could still be haunted by the specter of inadequate nutrition.
First, we must understand the problem better. We know a good deal about the state of global production. But our knowledge of the state of global nutrition is abysmal. Therefore, the United States proposes that a global nutrition surveillance system be established by the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organiztaion and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund. Particular attention should be devoted to the special needs of mothers and young children and to respond quickly to local emergencies affecting these particular vulnerable groups. Nutrition surveying is a field with which the United States has considerable experience; we are ready to share our knowledge and techniques.
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Second, we need new methods for combatting malnutrition. The United States invites the W.H.0„ F.A.O. and UNICEF to arrange for an internationally coordinated program in applied nutritional research. Such a program should set priorities, identify the best centers for research, and generate the necessary funding. The United States is willing to contribute $5‐million to initiate such a program.
Third, we need to act on problems which are already clear. The United States proposes an immediate campaign against two of the most prevalent and blighting effects of malnutrition: Vitamin‐A blindness and iron‐deficiency anemia. The former is responsible for well over half of the millions of cases of blindness in less developed countries; the current food shortages will predictably increase this number. Irondeficiency anemia is responsible for low productivity in many parts of the world.
The events of the past few years have brought home the grave vulnerability of mankind to food emergencies caused by crop failures, floods, wars and other disasters. The world has come to depend on a few exporting countries, and particularly the United States, to maintain the necessary reserves. But reserves no longer exist, despite the fact that the United States has removed virtually all of its restrictions on production and our farmers have made an all‐out effort to maximize output. A worldwide reserve of as much as 60 million tons of food above present carryover levels may be needed to assure adequate food security.
It is neither prudent nor practical for one or even a few countries to be the world's sole holder of reserves. Nations with a history of radical fluctuations in import requirements have an obligation, both to their own people and to the world community, to participate in a system which shares that responsibility more widely. And exporting countries can not longer afford to be caught by surprise. They must have advance information to plan production and exports.
F.A.O. Chief Praised
We commend F.A.O. Director‐General Boerma for his initiative in the area of reserves, The United States shares his view that a cooperative multilateral system is essential for greater equity and efficiency. We therefore propose that this conference organize a reserves‐coordinating group to negotiate a detailed agreement on an international system of nationally held grain reserves at the earliest possible time. It should include all the major exporters as well as those whose import needs are likely to be greatest. This group's work should be carried out in close cooperation with other international efforts to improve the world trading system.
An international reserve system should include the following elements:
¶Exchange of information on levels of reserves and working reserves.
¶Guidelines on the management of national reserves, defining the conditions for adding to reserves and for releasing from them.
¶Preference for cooperating countries in the distribution of reserves.
¶Procedures for adjustment of targets and settlement of disputes and measures for dealing with noncompliance.
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The challenge before this conference is to translate needs into programs and programs into results. We have no time to lose.
A 5‐Point Platform
I have set forth a five‐point platform for joint action:
1. To concert the efforts of the major surplus countries to help meet the global demand.
2. To expand the capacity of chronic food‐deficit developing nations for growth and greater self‐sufficiency.
3. To transfer resources and food to meet the gaps which remain.
4. To improve the, quality of food to insure adequate nutrition.
5. To safeguard men and nations from sudden emergencies and the vagaries of weather.
I have outlined the contributions that the United States is prepared to make in national or multinational programs to achieve each of these goals. And I have proposed three new international groups to strengthen national efforts, coordinate them and give them global focus:
¶The Exporters Planning Group.
¶The Food Production and Investment Coordinating Group.
¶The Reserves Coordinating Group.
A number of suggestions have been made for a central body to fuse our efforts and provide leadership. The United States is open‐minded about such an institution. We strongly believe, however, that whatever the mechanisms, a unified, concerted and comprehensive approach is an absolute requirement. The American delegation headed by our distinguished Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz is prepared to begin urgent discussions to implement our proposals. We welcome the suggestions of other nations gathered here. We will work hard and we will work cooperatively.
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