"We, the Heads of State and Government, or our Representatives and the Representative of the European Community have assembled in Rome at the World Summit on Food Security to take urgent action to eradicate hunger from the world". Thus begins the document unanimously approved at the FAO food security summit that envisages 5 principles for fighting hunger, the “Five Rome Principles for Sustainable Global Food Security”, and urges all governments to come through with monies pledged to developing countries. “In adopting this declaration we agree to undertake all necessary actions required at national, regional and global levels and by all States and Governments to halt immediately the increase in – and to significantly reduce – the number of people suffering from hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity”.
The “Five Rome Principles” are aimed at achieving a series of strategic and urgent goals that require the political will of governments. In order to achieve these strategic goals the FAO food security document identifies 5 priority actions, first of which concerns adequate investment in the rural development programmes of individual governments. Another indicates the need for national, regional and global strategic coordination to improve governance and foster the better use of resources. A two-track approach is then called for that includes actions both directly aimed at eradicating hunger among the most vulnerable populations and at the adoption of medium and long-term programmes to eliminate the underlying causes of hunger and poverty. The document then urges reinforcement of collaboration among the various bodies concerned with food security and, finally, pledges vigilance over whether promises of aid are concretely fulfilled. On this last point the document especially underscores that the fulfilment of various pledges of aid by governments—the latest being those of the G8 summit declaration in L’Aquila—is “crucial”.
But FAO Director General Jacques Diouf was “displeased” with the document’s lack of precise deadlines for those financial pledges. “What’s more”, he stated, “I didn’t negotiate the document”, in fact “I wasn’t even there”.