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27/07/2005
Second British aid flight leaves for Niger
A second aid flight is to leave the UK on Wednesday for Niger in West Africa, where millions of people are facing starvation.
The Save the Children flight, which will carry specialist food and equipment for the region, is funded out of the £3 million pledged by the Department of International Development.
A flight organised by the British Red Cross left for the region, which was hit by a drought and a plague of locusts last year, on Sunday.
It is estimated that up to 2.5 million people are in urgent need of food in Niger and it is feared that one in ten children will die unless aid is received immediately.
Food shortages are also affecting other West African countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso. The British Red Cross said that almost eight million people in West Africa were facing imminent starvation unless urgent food aid was received.
The United Nations announced last week that it would again increase the amount of aid sought for Niger, but said that they were beginning to receive funds after “a long period of neglected warnings”.
UN Under-Secretary-General Jan Egeland told a news briefing in Geneva last week that “more money had been received over the last 10 days than over the last 10 months” for the appeal. He said: “The world has finally woken up, but it took graphic images of dying children for this to happen.”
Oxfam is calling on the UN to agree a £1 billion emergency fund, in order to prevent food crises such as that in Niger from occurring again.
The emergency fund is on the agenda of the UN Summit of world leaders, which begins in New York on September 14.
Phil Bloomer, Oxfam’s Director of Campaigns and Policy, said: “It is outrageous that the world waits until children are dying before acting to save them. The UN launched their appeal for Niger in November 2004, but it wasn’t until international TV crews arrived last week that money really started coming in. The amounts asked for are paltry. A small proportion of the new money pledged at the G8 would cover it. Money for Niger will eventually arrive, but it will be too late for many.”
Oxfam said that the World Food Programme appeal for $16 million is still only 40% funded, while the UN emergency appeal for $30 million has only received $10 million, although more has been pledged.
If the money had been given six months ago, the charity says, it would have cost $1 per person per day to affect the food crisis in Niger, Mauritania and Mali.
Mr Bloomer said: “Starvation does not have to be inevitable. The food crisis in Niger was predicted months ago and could easily have been prevented if funding was immediately available. In 50 days time, world leaders must set up a UN emergency fund to stop food crises like Niger ever happening again.”
(KMcA/SP)
The Save the Children flight, which will carry specialist food and equipment for the region, is funded out of the £3 million pledged by the Department of International Development.
A flight organised by the British Red Cross left for the region, which was hit by a drought and a plague of locusts last year, on Sunday.
It is estimated that up to 2.5 million people are in urgent need of food in Niger and it is feared that one in ten children will die unless aid is received immediately.
Food shortages are also affecting other West African countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso. The British Red Cross said that almost eight million people in West Africa were facing imminent starvation unless urgent food aid was received.
The United Nations announced last week that it would again increase the amount of aid sought for Niger, but said that they were beginning to receive funds after “a long period of neglected warnings”.
UN Under-Secretary-General Jan Egeland told a news briefing in Geneva last week that “more money had been received over the last 10 days than over the last 10 months” for the appeal. He said: “The world has finally woken up, but it took graphic images of dying children for this to happen.”
Oxfam is calling on the UN to agree a £1 billion emergency fund, in order to prevent food crises such as that in Niger from occurring again.
The emergency fund is on the agenda of the UN Summit of world leaders, which begins in New York on September 14.
Phil Bloomer, Oxfam’s Director of Campaigns and Policy, said: “It is outrageous that the world waits until children are dying before acting to save them. The UN launched their appeal for Niger in November 2004, but it wasn’t until international TV crews arrived last week that money really started coming in. The amounts asked for are paltry. A small proportion of the new money pledged at the G8 would cover it. Money for Niger will eventually arrive, but it will be too late for many.”
Oxfam said that the World Food Programme appeal for $16 million is still only 40% funded, while the UN emergency appeal for $30 million has only received $10 million, although more has been pledged.
If the money had been given six months ago, the charity says, it would have cost $1 per person per day to affect the food crisis in Niger, Mauritania and Mali.
Mr Bloomer said: “Starvation does not have to be inevitable. The food crisis in Niger was predicted months ago and could easily have been prevented if funding was immediately available. In 50 days time, world leaders must set up a UN emergency fund to stop food crises like Niger ever happening again.”
(KMcA/SP)
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25 July 2005
British aid team heads to Niger
The British Red Cross have chartered the first aid flight from the UK to Niger in West Africa, where millions are facing death from starvation. The team, which includes three logistics experts and one information officer, left Bristol Airport on Sunday afternoon.
British aid team heads to Niger
The British Red Cross have chartered the first aid flight from the UK to Niger in West Africa, where millions are facing death from starvation. The team, which includes three logistics experts and one information officer, left Bristol Airport on Sunday afternoon.
28 March 2008
School's Out For Junk Food
The School Food Trust is to set in motion measures that will curb school children binging on junk food. Currently in some parts of England, pupils have a choice of more than 40 fast food shops, with many targeting children with special lunch menus.
School's Out For Junk Food
The School Food Trust is to set in motion measures that will curb school children binging on junk food. Currently in some parts of England, pupils have a choice of more than 40 fast food shops, with many targeting children with special lunch menus.
02 August 2005
British charities launch appeal for Niger
A number of UK charities have launched an intensive media appeal to help raise money for the West African country of Niger, which has been badly hit by famine. Around 2.5 million people in Niger are facing acute food shortages, due to drought and a locust plague.
British charities launch appeal for Niger
A number of UK charities have launched an intensive media appeal to help raise money for the West African country of Niger, which has been badly hit by famine. Around 2.5 million people in Niger are facing acute food shortages, due to drought and a locust plague.
18 April 2008
Calls For Tougher Junk Food Advertising Laws
More than eighty percent of adults believe junk food advertising can make it difficult to feed children healthy food, a new survey has claimed. Consumer watchdog Which? Found 83% of consumers surveyed wanted the government to become more involved in controlling the marketing of unhealthy food to children. In total 2,000 people were questioned.
Calls For Tougher Junk Food Advertising Laws
More than eighty percent of adults believe junk food advertising can make it difficult to feed children healthy food, a new survey has claimed. Consumer watchdog Which? Found 83% of consumers surveyed wanted the government to become more involved in controlling the marketing of unhealthy food to children. In total 2,000 people were questioned.
25 October 2004
Tourists warned of risks of bringing food into the UK
The risks and controls prohibiting people bringing food into the UK from EU countries have been highlighted today as part of a public awareness campaign launched today. The current rules mean that it is illegal to bring meat and milk-based products for personal use back into the UK from outside the EU.
Tourists warned of risks of bringing food into the UK
The risks and controls prohibiting people bringing food into the UK from EU countries have been highlighted today as part of a public awareness campaign launched today. The current rules mean that it is illegal to bring meat and milk-based products for personal use back into the UK from outside the EU.
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