Aid charity triggers food fight

Date: 01/08/02

By David Cronin

AID agency Oxfam has accused the European Commission of not reacting swiftly enough to the food crisis in southern Africa, where 13 million people face starvation.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) appealed for more than €510 million in food aid for the region on 1 July.

It wants to have 300,000 tonnes of food ready for distribution before the rainy season starts in October. Washington immediately offered 15 of the appeal funding, but the Commission is still in discussion with the WFP about its contribution, according to Oxfam director Barbara Stocking. 'Time is of the essence but it seems that Commission procedures are still not geared for speed,' she said.

'The Commission and the WFP are talking but it seems unlikely that the WFP will get any Commission-funded food by the end of September or October, which could be dangerously late.'

Her claim was strongly rebutted by the Commission's development spokesman Michael Curtis, who said the EU executive was committed to providing roughly 20 of the €510 million sought by the WFP.

In the past six weeks alone it has granted €20 million worth of food to Zimbabwe, currently on the brink of famine.

The claims and counter-claims follow outspoken remarks by British International Development Minister Clare Short about the EU's aid programmes. Short branded them an 'embarrassment', contending they are not sufficiently focused on reducing poverty.

Curtis replied: 'To say we are perplexed and bemused [at Short's comments] might be an understatement.'

Aid agency Oxfam has accused the European Commission of not reacting swiftly enough to the food crisis in southern Africa, where 13 million people face starvation. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) appealed for more than €510 million in food aid for the region on 1 July 2002.