Aim aid at poorest, says U.K.

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33712, 9 December 1974, Page 28

Aim aid at poorest, says U.K.

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter-—Copvrieht).

SINGAPORE,

British proposals that international aid be concentrated on the world’s poorest countries met with a favourable response as the Colombo Plan countries discussed emergency food aid. The British delegation said that in future its aid programme, which would be increased in real terms, would concentrate more on the world’s poorest nations and on efforts to improve their agricultural base. The leader of the New Zealand delegation, the Minister of Health (Mr McGuigan), urged countries receiving food aid to ensure that it reached the people in the greatest need of it.

“We are all aware of instances where, for one reason or another, food given under a relief programme has, most regrettably failed to reach those who are in greatest need of it.

"On occasions it has deteriorated for lack of transportation or storage, and on others it has found its way into commercial or other channels. These are simply practical problems which all Governments concerned must keep In mind.” He said donor countries would consider helping with distribution facilities such as silos and trucks if recipient countries asked for them. "But the effective management of the distribution, even in cases where an international agency in involved, rests in the last analysis with the receiving Government and its provincial or local authorities,”- Mr McGuigan said. Informed sources said that in its statement on fo.od aid, the United States affirmed that this would be especially

'directed to countries hit. hardest by the fuel, food and fertiliser crisis.

I Food aid would be increased this year beyond last year's level of SUSBSO

million, while a special SUSSO million increase would be given to fight malnutrition in the most vulnerable recipient countries. S,ome 60 per cent of American economic aid would go towards developing agriculture, it added. Leaders of the Indian, Pakistan, and Bangladesh ministerial delegations gave a predictably welcome response to the British plea for concentrated aid to the poorest countries, as this would to a large extent mean the countries of the subcontinent.

The leader of the Pakistan delegation, Mr Aftab Ahmad Khan, said the United States should given unrestricted credit facilities to help developing countries buy fertiliser, the cost .of which had increased dramatically because of the increase in oil prices.

He urged Japan to provide fertiliser and cash to the developing countries, and to provide shipping facilities for countries needing to import fertiliser and food.

The Malaysian Minister of Primary Industries (Datuk Musa Hitam noted that in 1972, for the first time since the Second World War, food production actually fell in absolute terms.

However, he believed that his own country’s efforts to promote food production would go some way to alleviating the food problem that confronted the region, and the world as a whole. Informed sources said there was a tendency in today’s sessions for representatives to content themselves with issuing prepared statements, rather than indulge in actual debate, which had been one of the features of past Colombo Plan conferences. The conference has already agreed to extend the plan for five years, to cover 1975-1980.