G8 Leaders have 5-course meal before hunger talks

Published by afzana_javed on 11 July, 2009 - 22:23

G8 leaders have 5-course meal before hunger talks
Thu, 09 Jul 2009

World leaders have enjoyed a five-course meal on the eve of a G8 summit on tackling world food shortages, a menu released by a summit source showed.

The leaders will be joined by representatives of African countries for Friday's session at the G8 summit focusing on food, security and development issues.

The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said earlier this week, "A hunger emergency looms and the world must act."

The world must act?....It seems actions speak louder than words Mr Brown, whilst you sit there stuffing your face. Incongruence at a whole new level.

Will the farm aid be enough to help poor nations?

Are the world leaders sincere in their aims?

Why is Africa/other countries in this situation anyway (1.2 billion malnourished and set to rise)?

Something to do with the global crisis caused by...?

Submitted by You on 11 July, 2009 - 22:27

Punishing yourself does not get others fed - it's not as if the food would have been airmailed to the poor if they had declined to eat it.

Even aid programs seems to not work well in the long term - they cause artificial dependence.

What would help the poor loads would be to reduce/remove artificial subsidies from foods foods over here - that way they can compete fairly and make more of a living.

However that will have the impact of goods being priced higher in the shops (even if the overall price is the same - less tax would be used to subsidise their price so what you see at the til would be closer to the true cost), and may impact negatively on poor families.

So I hope that they enjoyed their fine cuisine.

—

"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

Submitted by You on 11 July, 2009 - 22:31

afzana_javed wrote:
Why is Africa/other countries in this situation anyway (1.2 billion malnourished and set to rise)?

A major reason is incompetence of the local leadership of those places. Afterall even Pakistan went through a green revolution to increase its crop output - it has been 50 years and many african countries have still not implemented those same changes.

Not all of Africa is a desert or barren. It has potential, but the people there have to exploit it for themselves.

—

"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

Submitted by afzana_javed on 11 July, 2009 - 22:36

You wrote:
Punishing yourself does not get others fed

I agree however it defo shows where their priorities lie...doesn't it, the urgency of the matter is made oh-so clear.

You wrote:
- it's not as if the food would have been airmailed to the poor if they had declined to eat it.

Even aid programs seems to not work well in the long term - they cause artificial dependence.

Again I agree, as they are still dependent upon the dollar. If the state of people in the West is so bad due to the recession then you can only imagine the condition of these people...poverty and hunger is magnified further.

You wrote:
What would help the poor loads would be to reduce/remove artificial subsidies from foods foods over here - that way they can compete fairly and make more of a living.

However that will have the impact of goods being priced higher in the shops (even if the overall price is the same - less tax would be used to subsidise their price so what you see at the til would be closer to the true cost), and may impact negatively on poor families.

So I hope that they enjoyed their fine cuisine.

I found the comments of people under the article interesting:

"The G8 countries are scavengers feeding on the flesh of the poor."

...the image just reinforces it.

And yes SubhanAllah Africa does have a lot of resources and potential to be independent, but I think keeping it on its knees benefits a lot of countries.

Submitted by Ya'qub on 12 July, 2009 - 02:17

There is enough fertile land in Sudan to feed the entire Arab world, yet due to combat/corruption/incompetence, they can't even feed their own people.

That isn't directly the fault of the G8 (an argument could be made for it being the fault of one of my ancestors, but his sin wouldn't go onto me).

—

Don't just do something! Stand there.

Submitted by RI_RS on 12 July, 2009 - 15:06

Ya'qub wrote:

That isn't directly the fault of the G8 (an argument could be made for it being the fault of one of my ancestors, but his sin wouldn't go onto me).

But you're his representative on Earth so i blame you Blum 3

—

#Before you look at the thorns of the rose , look at it's beauty. Before you complain about the heat of the sun , enjoy it's light. Before you complain about the blackness of the night, think of it's peace and quiet... #

Submitted by afzana_javed on 12 July, 2009 - 23:43

MakeMeRawr_6TeenF wrote:
Ya'qub wrote:

That isn't directly the fault of the G8 (an argument could be made for it being the fault of one of my ancestors, but his sin wouldn't go onto me).

But you're his representative on Earth so i blame you Blum 3

Hahaha

Perhaps they should stop following in the footsteps of their forefathers IF they don't want to be at fault, if they want to be seen as different. Surely no-ones going to place confidence in leaders unless they change...?

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