hunger

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has appealed for US$1 billion to respond to overlooked emergencies that it said are causing worsening hunger, disease and poverty for women and children, especially in Africa.

UNICEF’s Ann Veneman points out that the agency needs 17 percent more money in 2009 than last year because of increased needs in eastern and southern Africa.

Veneman states this money will also help the organisation in its efforts to deal with cholera and flood fears, which compound an economic crisis.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that it will double the number of Zimbabweans it feeds because of the famine in the impoverished African country.

WFP spokesperson, Emilia Casella, points out that: "What's particularly concerning is that there is currently no food in the pipeline for Zimbabwe in January and February."

Malnutrition will be among main issues for discussion at the 30th Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses currently underway in Cape Town.

The five day conference is aimed at thrashing out ideas, discussing new studies and drafting international nutritional guidelines. Specialists hope to find a worldwide guideline for good nutrition standards for all foods, especially for famine stricken countries.One of the big problem areas remains malnutrition in poor countries around the world.

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has accused the rich countries of reneging on promises to help feed the world’s hungry.

Speaking on World Food Day, Annan appealed to wealthy nations not to use the global financial crisis as a pretext for not meeting their commitments.  Annan warned that over 10 000 children are dying from malnutrition each day.

His comments are echoed by aid agency Oxfam, which estimates that more than 900 million people are facing starvation because of soaring prices.

The European Commission (EU) has announced €15 million of emergency food aid for victims of drought and soaring food prices in five east African countries.

EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner, Louis Michel, points out that: "In some parts of the world, a major catastrophe is brewing because growing numbers of people don’t have enough food to survive."

"The Commission has responded to these urgent needs by dramatically increasing its food assistance to the most vulnerable", says Michel.