developing countries shouldbecondemned andreference wasalsomadetotheracist régimeinSouthAfricawhichaggravates theregional foodsituation. 35.ThePresident ofIFAD,Mr.IdrissJazairy, saidthatanumberofconclusions couldbedrawnfromthecurrentcrisis. Oneofthesewasthatalasting solution tothehungerproblem wouldnotbeattainable unlessstepsweretakentoensure thatinternational aidflowsactually reachtheruralpoor.Thebestmethodof achieving thiswastochannel moreaidtothesmallproducer asaprerequisite to increasing foodandagricultural production. ThisiswhatIFADhadbeenmandated todoandthisiswhatitwasdoing,yettheFundisintheprocess ofbeingpushed overintotheabysse ThePresident urgedimmediate actions tocomplete theFund's secondreplenishment and,following itsconclusion, thatareviewbeconducted of itsfuturefinancial basistoensurethattheinstitution canpursueitsactivities without interruption andwithgreater predictability. Hedrewtheattention ofthe members tohisintention tomobilize voluntary contributions tofinance aspecial programme forsub-Saharan African countries affected bydrought anddesertification. 36.Mr.peterOnu,SecretarY-General a.i.oftheOrganization ofAfrican Unity (OAU),inamessage readbyMr.victorDjomatchoua, recalled theobjectives established in1974bytheWorldFoodConference. ForAfrican countries, efforts toachieve theseobjectives hadsuffered aserious setback whichwouldmakeit extremely difficult torecapture themomentum thatwasgenerated bythat Conference. Hereferred totheLagosPlanofActionfortheImplementation ofthe Monrovia Strategy fortheEconomic Development ofAfrica, 2/adopted bythe Assembly ofHeadsofStateandGovernment ofOAUinApril1980,whichaccords priority tofoodandagriculture. Thistoppriority tofood,alsoestablished in thenational development plansofthememberStatesofOAU,hadbeenseriously dampened bythecontinuing economic crisisanddevastating drought. Asapractical collective response totheemergency situation created bydrought andfamine, the African HeadsofStateandGovernment decided toestablish aSpecial Emergency Assistance FundforDrought andFamineinAfrica. Already, inspiteoftremendous economic difficulties, sevenOAUmemberStateshavepledged ormadefinancial contributions totheSpecial Fund.Special reference wasmadetotheimportance of theforthcoming twenty-first OAUSummitofHeadsofStateandGovernment whichwill studytheemergency situation inAfrica, especially withrespect tofoodproduction anddistribution. TheSecretary-General expressed hisappreciation forthe continuing participation oftheWorldFoodCouncil inprer~ration forthismeeting. 37.Statements weremadebytherepresentatives oftheWorldFoodProgramme, the International LabourOrganisation andtheWorldBank.Thelastemphasized the importance ofinstitution-building inthecontext oftheimplementation and management ofFoodsectorstrategies andplans. Therepresentative ofWFPmade reference totheactivities oftheProgramme inresponding tothefoodemergency in Africaandemphasized theefforts underwaytointegrate foodaidintothe mainstream ofdevelopment assistance. Theinterdependence ofemployment, incomes andfoodproduction andconsumption objectives wasstressed bytherepresentative ofILO,whoalsoemphasized theneedforcloseinter-agency co-operation and co-ordination inexpanding labour-intensive programmes, especially inAfrica. -25- ...c-'.' .', '...- - - ----=-~ --". "O>, .~~~••• ~".,-~-.,,-' -••--, '"". . . . .CHAPTERIII EXTERNAL ECONOMIC CONSTRAINTS ONMEETING FOODOBJECTIVES -THENEEDFOREXPANDING WORLDTRADE 38.Thethirdsubstantive topicbeforetheCouncil, external constraints toachieving foodobjectives, wasintroduced bytheExecutive Director. Hesaidthatthesecretariat document briefly assessed theeconomic effects ofthesavereeconomic recession andthedeterioration oftheinternational tradeandfinancialenvironment, including largedebtrepayment problems. Thedocument thensuggestedsomeareasforfutureactionintheinternational spherew''.tpotential forreducing hungerandmalnutrition. 39.Mostdelegates wereinagreement withthegeneral thrustandpropo~alscontained inthedocument. Thestudywasconsidered agoodbasisforfurtherdiscussion oninternational trade,debtandfinance issues. Therewasgeneralagreement withthesection onforeign debtandrelated economic adjustments whichaffected foodstrategies implementation andinvestment indevelopment.
**Analysis**
The text primarily discusses the food security crisis in developing countries, the role of international organizations in addressing this issue, and the need for collective action to overcome external economic constraints. The focus is on the global food situation, international aid, and economic development, which suggests that the text is related to economic development and humanitarian aid.

**Category**
Economic development, Humanitarian aid and relief