Alert icon
We're changing our privacy policy. This stuff matters.  Learn more  Dismiss

TO HAVE,..... AND TO HAVE NOT.

Loading...

Sign in or sign up now!
894 views
Loading...
Alert icon
Sign in or sign up now!
Alert icon

Uploaded by on Nov 17, 2009

ROME — Pope Benedict XVI decried the steadily worsening tragedy of world hunger on Monday after a global summit rebuffed a U.N. call to commit billions of dollars a year for a new strategy to help poor countries feed themselves. The meeting at the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization did unite nearly 200 countries behind a pledge to increase aid to farmers in poor countries to help the developing world lessen its dependence on foreign food aid. Only hours after the threeday summit began, some 60 heads of state and dozens of ministers rejected the U.N.s call to commit $44 billion annually for agricultural development in those nations. The final declaration also omitted a pledge, sought by the United Nations, to eradicate hunger by 2025. Hunger is the most cruel and concrete sign of poverty, Benedict told the delegates after the document was approved. Opulence and waste are no longer acceptable when the tragedy of hunger is assuming ever greater proportions. The last previous papal appearance at a food summit in Rome was in 1996 by Pope John Paul II. U.N. officials said roughly 1 billion people dont get enough to eat. As the conference opened, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told participants that it was unacceptable that so many go hungry even though the world has enough food. Our job is not just to feed the hungry, but to empower the hungry to feed themselves, he said. FAO, which is hosting the conference at its headquarters, said the share of international aid that is allocated to agriculture has steadily declined over the last three decades. Helping the hungry has largely involved rich countries sending food assistance rather than technology, irrigation help, fertilizer or high-yield seed. While the summit agreed on the need to increase FAOs share of international aid, it did not allocate the $44 billion annually — 17 percent of overall foreign aid — the FAO said is necessary to feed a population that is expected to grow to 9 billion by 2050. While content with the general policy shift, FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf was frustrated by the lack of specifi cs. I am not satisfied that some of the concrete proposals I made were not accepted, he told reporters. There was no consensus on this and I regret it. Reactions mixed Humanitarian groups claimed the summit had largely failed and Greenpeace called the declaration empty rhetoric. FAOs Assistant Director-General Alexander Mueller said governments kept away from firm commitments due to the economic crisis and because they expect they will need to channel money to the developing world at next months summit on climate change in Copenhagen, Denmark. Delegates from the United States, the worlds No. 1 food donor, said that wealthy nations should follow the specific needs of each recipient country rather than allocate a fixed amount to agriculture. What this declaration represents is a signifi cant change — not just an acknowledgment of a problem but an articulation of solutions, with a focus on country-led programs and strategies, said Alonzo Fulgham, the head of the U.S. delegation. Kanayo Nwanze, the president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, said poor countries cant expect the rest of the world to come up with all the money they need and those nations should instead invest a greater share of their own public funds in the sector. We cannot expect international assistance to move countries out of poverty, out of hunger, he said.

Link to this comment:

Share to:

Uploader Comments (dumbbell33)

  • The United States gives billions to countries like this. its hard because the countrys' CORRUPT governments tend to take most of it for themselves.

    My church is sponsoring and orphanage in Liberia. It took several months of asking the Liberian Government to allow the food, clothes, and the pickup truck to be released from the shipping port. The TAXES on this charity donations were huge.

    This is the stuff no one is talking about.

  • jeabo0adhd ,..you are !,..and soon I will be !,. if you can send me some info!

    The more of us make a noise the less the eugeniscists will look away,..

  • I notice that You tube are using a new reply system ,....

    pretty intrusive ,..but ya know we think that You Tube :)

  • I find it fascinating that videos on truly important, yet controversial topics like this either:

    refuse to load or refuse to play......or require refreshing the page 25 times....

    While videos about kitties, pop culture - or those sponsored by the Vatican - play with no problem.

    There is an agenda at work on YT......

    Thanks for posting this!

  • @19lfm12 hi mat ,..

    often in my account settings in the playback setup ,..

    it has changed to a slow speed ,..

    i constantly need to change it,..

    maybe this is happening to you also ?

    cheers mate and thanks ! :)

Top Comments

  • follow the yellow brick road

see all

All Comments (10)

Sign In or Sign Up now to post a comment!
  • Its called survival of the fittest.The poorest countries are usually the over populated ones.So instead of popping babies like rabbits,they should should consider having less babies and providing the less babies with good education and health.Its just common sense.

  • The obvious irony in Ratzinger's words...and in his incredibly obscenely wealthy lifestyle is typical of the corporate elite, royalty, etc.

    They are so mentally & spiritually blind that they cannot see that it is THEY who cause & perpetuate hunger & poverty, by their selfishness.

    Perhaps Ratzinger should re-read the Parable of Lazarus & the Rich Man - as should all 'elites' regardless of their actual wealth.

    ...if they will not change, they will share the Rich Man's fate.

  • mmm.....well now it works:)

    It is prolly a glitch on YT (intentional or not), and not due to something one your end.

Loading...

0 / 00Unsaved Playlist Return to active list
    1. Your queue is empty. Add videos to your queue using this button:
      or sign in to load a different list.
    Loading...Loading...Saving...
    • Clear all videos from this list
    • Learn more