Co-Ordination Of Famine Relief

EDM number 1026 in 1990-91, proposed by Jim Lester on 24/06/1991.

That this House is alarmed at the worsening situation in Africa where almost 30 million people are facing severe food shortages; welcomes the confirmed pledge of the European Commission for 400,000 tonnes new food aid and the recent Overseas Development Administration response in providing 60,000 tonnes food aid but stresses that the food already pledged must be delivered before the end of July 1991 if millions of lives are to be saved; expresses concern that the lack of effective international co-ordination has led to delays in delivery and distribution; and therefore urges Her Majesty's Government to support the re-establishment of the Office for Emergency Operations in Africa (OEOA), which in 1985-86 provided co-ordination of food pledges and relief work; also requests Her Majesty's Government to seek support for this initiative at the meeting the United Nations Secretary General has called to discuss the OEOA on 27th June in New York so that priority is given to ensure that food is delivered to people in need in time to avoid mass starvation.

This motion has been signed by a total of 50 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.