But these must realize that developed countries do not wish to put at risk investments and resources that may come to nought due to social strife or other man-made disasters. But developed countries must be prepared to put the necessary private and public resources into food production in countries which meet the necessary requirements. They must also be prepared to adjust their own production to the needs of the environment and to the constraints of international competition and cooperate with the developing countries through technical assistance, research, investments and in other ways in order to allow them to fully participate in international trade. As we go back home, we need to proclaim loudly the insights we heard here and the new determination we carry with us. Sustainability, as described in the Rio Declaration is essential in all this, if the productive capacity of healthy food is to be guaranteed to future generations on our planet.
Food aid remains an important instrument to respond to natural and man-made disasters.
In fact, the EC has been the major donor in this area. We are ready to continue to play this role. Therefore, I fully subscribe to the appeals already made in this room to the institutions of the international community to ensure the conditions for this concerted humanitarian action, and I take this opportunity to appeal to the governments concerned, in particular those of Zaire and Rwanda, to finally and urgently open up corridors for the transit of humanitarian assistance. The fact is that food security is a complex issue, which is part of a wider context and has no ready-made solution. Even if we limit ourselves to the simple agro-food elements of food security, we must ask ourselves whether we can, at one and the same time, pursue partly contradictory objectives, such as, greater market orientation, notably stock reduction, extensification of agriculture and more organic and quality farming, keeping as many people as possible on the land, reducing taxes and, most important, helping to address the needs of the 800 million chronically undernourished people in the world.