In this respect, I am pleased that the Summit in Rome can confirm and reinforce the achievements of Cairo, Copenhagen and Beijing. This Summit takes place at a time when the United Nations as a whole is facing new challenges. The tasks at hand are immense, while financial support is eroding. To regain the support it deserves, reforms leading to increased efficiency and improved performance of the United Nations system is called for. Coordination at field level and cooperation between all agencies and the United Nations resident coordinators is imperative in order to implement the Plan of Action of the World Food Summit.
Food security is a global challenge and responsibility.
In the short term we need to prevent human tragedies such as those we witness in Africa at present. Those who suffer need our solidarity now. In the long term, a stable and peaceful world will depend on our ability to secure food for all.