Head of U.N.'s Food Agency Praises Blair's Africa Plan

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — The director-general of the United Nations' food agency on Wednesday praised British Prime Minister Tony Blair for pushing G-8 nations to help eradicate debt and famine in African countries, but said more aid was needed.

Jacques Diouf said Blair's plan _ which calls for several billion dollars (euros) a year to provide clean water and better roads and infrastructure in poor African nations _ was a good first step "to solve those structural problems that are today the major obstacles."

"We cannot develop Africa if we cannot develop ... agriculture," Diouf said.

Britain has proposed raising US$50 billion (euro41 billion) a year for aid by selling bonds on capital markets _ a plan known as the International Finance Facility. The United States has rejected the plan, but has pledged to provide US$674 million (euro549 million) for famine relief in Africa.

"I'm hopeful that we'll increase the aid," Diouf said.

Diouf, a Senegal native, met with Nordic ministers of aid and agriculture during a visit to Stockholm to discuss the U.N.'s so-called Millennium goals, which were adopted in 2000 and include cutting global poverty in half by 2015, and giving all children elementary education.

Swedish Aid and Development Minister Carin Jamtin said the meeting was a good opportunity to discuss the upcoming challenges for the Millennium goals, which have fallen off track as many countries have failed to live up them.

"We'll have to work together to put stronger focus on Africa," Jamtin said. "Africa is the continent lagging behind."

Diouf also said he was concerned about recent reports of famine in North Korea, but said it was difficult for the U.N. to respond to them.

"There is a need for more food aid for North Korea, but unfortunately the political environment is not very favorable for this," he said.

Source: Associated Press