Page 58 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 15

Leadership
Economy

Beware UN Food Systems

Summit Trojan Horse

By Jomo Kwame Sundaram

This article was published originally on July 26th, 2021
https://jomodevplus.substack.com/p/beware-un-food-systems-summit-trojan

UALA LUMPUR, Ma- now scheduled for September, with in the 1990s posed new threats to
laysia, Jul 26 2021 (IPS) its ‘Pre-Summit’ beginning today. UN-led multilateralism. The World
- Undoubtedly, the Trade Organization was set up in
Kworld needs to reform Food insecurity is primarily due 1995 outside the UN system. Later,
existing food systems to better serve to inequalities and deprivations as ‘recalcitrant’ Secretary-General (SG)
humanity and sustainable develop- victims lack the means to obtain Boutros-Ghali was blocked from a
ment. But the United Nations World the food they need. The UN should second term.
Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) not serve those who cynically use The four UN Development De-
must be consistent with UN-led hunger, starvation and deprivation cades from the 1960s ended with the
multilateralism. to advance private commercial lofty, Secretariat-drafted Millennium
interests. Declaration, bypassing Member
For the first time ever, the World State involvement. The Millennium
Economic Forum (WEF), a partner- UN-led multilateralism threatened Development Goals (MDGs) were
ship of some of the world’s most The collapse of the Soviet Union, then elaborated by the UN De-
powerful corporations, is partnering the end of the Cold War and seem- velopment Programme with scant
the UN in launching the Summit, ingly unchallenged US dominance Member State consultation.

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