ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Strong collaboration is needed as the number of food insecure people on the African continent increased as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic worsened the situation, Vera Songwe, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has said.
The UNECA chief made the remarks during the opening session of the Executive Council on Wednesday, bringing together foreign ministers of African countries at the AU Headquarters in Ethiopia' capital Addis Ababa for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The two-day meeting is being held under the theme of the year "Building resilience in nutrition on the African continent: Accelerate the Human Capital, Social and Economic Development."
"Africa is not on track to meeting the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 targets to end hunger and ensure access by all people to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round and to end all forms of malnutrition," Songwe said.
"Sadly, almost one in five Africans goes hungry every day. The number of hungry people on the continent reached 282 million in 2020," she added.
The UNECA chief cited the FAO food price index which indicated that food prices have been on the rise hitting the highest in a decade at 133.7 points by December 2021.
"The rising food prices pose threats to the purchasing power of the poor that may provoke social unrest, as has been the case during the 2007/8 global spike in food price. Progress on several SDGs may be at stake, particularly those on poverty and hunger, but also on access to social services and decent jobs," she said.
She stressed that ensuring adequate food availability requires improved trade, in which intra-regional trade can help improve stability of supply and lower prices.
An ECA analysis showed that agri-food accounts for a substantial share of Africa's trade with around 16 percent and 17 percent of the value of Africa's total exports and imports, respectively. The ECA said since 2000, Africa has turned into a net agri-food importer.
Songwe said the bulk of Africa's imports and exports are oriented towards the rest of the world, in which 81 percent of Africa's imports of agri-food come from outside the continent while 78 percent of Africa's exports are directed to the rest of the world.
"In this context, it is important to leverage intra-African trade in agri-foods by 42 percent, services by 40 percent and industry by 39 percent," Songwe said.
Songwe said Africa, like the rest of the world, needs to build resilience against a number of threats, which include climate change, cyber security risks and pandemics and infectious diseases, weak governance and conflict.
"The health pandemic caught Africa like the rest of the world unprepared," she said, adding "our insurance systems were not deep enough and as a collective we needed to come together to respond."
According to the UNECA chief, addressing Africa's major challenges requires multiple partnerships and interventions in public and private sectors, at local, national, regional, continental and global levels.
"We need to target interventions in key areas that include climate resilient agriculture, climate resilient infrastructure investments, especially in roads, renewable energy and access to electricity and telecommunications, innovative financing, development of market infrastructure and fostering a conducive business environment; and leveraging the AfCFTA," she said.
The Executive Council meeting, which brings together foreign ministers of African countries, is expected to consider the draft agenda of the 35th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, slated to be held from Feb. 5-6. ■