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Sri Lanka highlights SAARC Colombo Declaration on Food Security in the Human Rights Council

The Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office at Geneva

24th September 2008

Statement made by Mr. O.L. Ameerajwad, Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva, during the segment of general comments after the adoption of resolutions at the end of the 9th Session of the Human Rights Council, on 24th September 2008.

"My delegation wishes to make a general comment on the resolution L.15 adopted with consensus by the Council today on the right to food. We thank the delegation of Cuba for this important initiative. Sri Lanka has been actively supporting and cosponsoring all the initiatives undertaken thus far on this issue.

We welcome the resolution L.15 which stresses the importance of taking measures to address the current world food crisis at the national, regional and international levels.

In this regard, Mr. President, my delegation takes this opportunity to make mention of the recent initiative undertaken in the South Asian Region. Leaders of the South Asian States at the 15th Summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) held in Sri Lanka in August 2008 affirmed their resolve in their 'Colombo declaration on Food Security' to ensure region-wide food security and make South Asia, once again, the granary of the World.

In order to ensure region-wide food security in South Asia, several measures were recommended including convening of a SAARC Conference of Ministers of Agriculture, operationalization of the SAARC Food Bank and a work plan to increase food production, investment in agriculture and agro-based industries and research, sharing of technologies and best practices, etc.

SAARC leaders further directed that SAARC region should forge greater cooperation with the international community to ensure food availability and nutrition security in South Asia.

We note that the resolution L.15 also stresses the need for the international community to provide support, upon request, to national and regional efforts by providing the necessary assistance for increasing food production, particularly through agricultural development assistance, transfer of technology, as well as food crop rehabilitation assistance, etc.

Therefore, Mr. President, my delegation considers this resolution as an important and timely one and looks forward to its effective implementation through greater cooperation from national, regional and global participation.

Thank you Mr. President."

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