text: atDublin (December 1984) 1theBonnSummitmeeting ofsevenindustrial countries (May1985)anditsExpert Groupmeeting toprepare follnw-up proposaIs andthe high-level economic meeting oftheCouncil forMutual Economic Assistance (June1984). A.Emergency reliefteAfrica mustheparalleled hystepped-up rehabilitation andlonq-term development 12.Muchremains tobedonetoensurethetimelydelivery offoodtothosein need,includinq strengthening logistical capaci~ies andinternaI distribution systems ofAfrican countries, asweIlasimproving theadministrative capacities of donors andrecipients alike. Thesearematters whichshould bepursued withqreat urqency inordertolessentherisks tha~foodwillnotreachintimethosewho needitmost. AttheSametime,African countries andassistance agencies should dotheirutmosttoprevent possible adverse effects ofthesemassive foodimports ondomestic foodproduction efforts bytheimproved national programming andtiminq offoodaiddeliveries, andbyincreasingly building African production capacities, astheyimprove, intotheinternational relief andrecovery efforts. 13.Inthisconnection, theCouncil called upontheparties involved toensure thatthecombined efforts inAfricaoftheUnitedNations OfficeforEmergency Operations, theWorldBank'sfacility tofinance structural adjustment policies and rehabilitation, theagricultural rehabilitation planofFAOandtheope~ations and programmes oftheWorldFoodProgramme (WFP)areweIlco-ordinated andclosely related totheassistance programmes ofthebilateral donors, sothatoverall coherence isassured. -3-14.Thecurrent concern withAfrica's emergency, howevervital, mustnotdivert attention fromtheunderlying problem offoodproduction whichhasbeendeclining steadily relative tarisingpopulation, thereby leaving African economies vulnerable tarecurrent andevenpermanent crisis. Thisstructural crisishasbeen thefocusofconcern oftheCouncil inencouraging national foodpolicies and strategies. 15.Byimplementing nation~l foodstrategies andprogrammes, African countries are tryingtaaddress inadequate foodpolicies andmacro-economic policies andcorrect pastconstraints. WhiletheMinisters wereencouraged bysomeoftheinitial progress whichhasbeenmadè,theyexpressed regretthatinternal andexternal factors, including thediversion ofenergies tacurrentcrisis management, have slowed G~wnthepaceoffoodpolicyimplementation. Inthatcontext, theywelcomed theconstructive discussions ofAfrican officiaIs atthethirteenth FAORegional Conference forAfrica, heldatHarareinJuly1984,andtheAbidjan Workshop on Ac~elerated FoodStrategy Implementation inAfrica, heldinFebruary 1985,and endorsed theirrecommendations. 16.Inparticular, theMinisters: (alEndorse theproposal fortraining ofAfrican foodpolicyanalysts and improvement ofstatistical datawithintheframework of.existing institutions, and request theExecutive Director oftheWorldFoodCouncil taexplore withinterested Governments andorganizations, including UnitedNations bodies, themeansforits implementation; (blSupport therecommendation formoresystematic monitoring offood strategy implementation andthereduction ofhunger, andurgeallcountries and agencies concerned taco-opera teintheevolution ofacommonmonitoring system alongthelinesproposed bytheExecutive Director oftheCouncil. Thisshould be carried outwithduerespect forthesovereign rightsofStates; (clEncourage African Governments tofocusmorespecifically ontheimportant roleofwomeninfoodstrategy implementaion, asproposed bytheAbidjan WorkshoPJ (dlEncourage African Governments taincrease interregional, regional and subregional technical andeconomic co-operation intheproduction andtradeof foodstuffs; (elWelcome theinvitation ofChinatahastin1986aworkshop onanexchange offoodpolicyexperiences between AsiaandAfricaaspartofinterregional co-operation, particularly amongdeveloping countriesJ (f)AgreethattheCouncil shouldcontinue tadevote asignificant shareof itsefforts tathepromotion ofeffective foodstrategy development and
analysis: This text appears to be focused on the topic of food security and development in Africa, with a specific emphasis on international cooperation and assistance. It discusses the need for emergency relief efforts, as well as long-term strategies for improving food production and availability. The text also touches on the importance of coordination between different organizations and governments in addressing the issue.