UN General Assembly resolution calls for efforts to mitigate food security crisis

UNITED NATIONS, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The General Assembly on Monday adopted a resolution that calls for international efforts to mitigate the current food security crisis.

The resolution calls on the international community to urgently support countries affected by the food security crisis through coordinated actions, including the provision of emergency food supplies, food programs, financial support, and increased and diversified agricultural production.

It calls for the promotion of a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization.

The resolution calls on the international community, including the Group of Seven and the Group of 20, to place global food security at the top of their agendas and to support multilateral efforts in finding affordable solutions to the crisis.

It calls on member states and other relevant stakeholders to keep food and agriculture supply chains functioning, to support farmers, including small-scale and family farmers, with technical means and assistance that enable them to produce their crops and livestock sustainably, and to refrain from hoarding food and commodities.

It stresses the need to keep trade channels and markets open for the movement of food, fuel, fertilizer and other agricultural inputs and outputs, and notes the importance of working toward eliminating all forms of protectionism. It also stresses the need to keep fuel prices affordable to limit the volatility of essential food prices, and calls on countries not to hoard energy commodities.

The resolution calls on international financial institutions to find urgent, affordable and timely solutions to support developing countries, in particular, those highly indebted, in responding to the food security crisis, through, but not limited to, facilitating, access to debt relief, concessional finance and grants.

It calls on member states, the United Nations, humanitarian and development organizations and other relevant actors to urgently and effectively respond to, prevent and prepare for rising global food insecurity affecting millions of people.

It also calls on member states to heed the urgent UN humanitarian appeal to assist countries facing armed conflict, drought, starvation and famine with emergency aid and urgent funding.