UN General Assembly
2008

development for developing nations. Those countries also had to cope with consequent macroeconomic implications concerning the nexus between food price increases and the overall inflation rate. The Government of Mongolia, having recognized the urgent need to address the food crisis, took the necessary actions at both policy and practical levels to reduce its severe impact on the vulnerable strata of its population. My Government has designated this year as the year for food supply and safety and aims to achieve three main objectives: promoting food production to reduce the country’s dependence on imported goods; 43 08-51839 raising public awareness about food quality; and ensuring safe food production and processing in the country. In pursuit of the first objective I launched at the beginning of this year the third national crop rehabilitation drive, or campaign to reclaim virgin lands, to revive domestic agricultural production. As a result of that nationwide campaign Mongolia is expected to ensure self-sufficiency in major staple food products by 2010. Countries throughout the world find themselves intimately affected by oil price hikes. In our case the