International task force on global food crisis opens new website – UN

After holding its first meeting this week in New York, the new international task force on the global food crisis, which is chaired by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, has opened a new website to provide updates on its activities.

The High-Level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis is working on a comprehensive plan to tackle problems caused by the worldwide rise in food prices. It brings together the heads of key UN agencies as well as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and other international experts. The task force is due to present its action plan at a food summit in Rome to be held in early June.

The price of food commodities has risen by 83 per cent over the last 36 months on international markets, and it is estimated that 854 million people are in a state of food insecurity around the world.

Next week the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) is also holding a special session on the crisis.

The new website - www.un.org/issues/food/taskforce - lists task force participants and upcoming events, as well as key statements and documents.