text: political development process. Itshouldtherefore betreated withthehighest priority byaIlGovernments intheirrededication totheprinciples andpurposes of theCharter oftheUnitedNations andreinvigorated international co-operation. -11-PARTTWO PROCEEDINGS OFTHECOUNCIL -13-CHAPTER l ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS A.Opening ofthesession 1.Theeleventh ministerial session oftheWorldFoodCouncil washeldatthe KléberConference CentreinParisfrom10to13June1985. Theministerial session waspreceded byapreparatory meeting heldinRomefrom29Aprilto2May1985. Thepurpose ofthemeeting wastoreview fooddevelopments inAfrica, asrequested bytheMinisters atlastyear's meetingatAddisAbaba,particularly asregards the progress offoodstrategy implementation inAfrica, theeffectiveness ofaidand tradeinmeeting foodobjectives, improving accesstofoodbytheundernourished, andtoconsider thedirection forfutureactions required toeradicate hunger. 2.TheDirector-General oftheUnitedNations Educational, Scientific and CulturalOrganization (UNESCO), Mr.Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow,welcomed delegates tothe official opening session, whichwasconvened attheheadqu3rters ofthat organization. 3.ThePresident oftheRepublic ofFrance, Mr.François Mitterrand, welcomed participants tothemeeting andacknowledged theseriousness oftheissuesbefore theMinisters atthesession. Hespokeoftheimportance ofCouncil sessions which bringMinisters togethar toadoptappropriate measures andpolicies tocombat hunger andmalnutrition, acentral goalandinterest oftheworldcommunity, yet onewhichisdifficult toattaingivenmanyconflicting interests. ThePresident spekeofthevitalimportance ofexternal assistance, andnotedthatFrancehas beenincreasing itsshareofaid,especially forthenon-governmental organizations activeinruraldevelopment work.Whileaidisessential, henoted,thereisalso animperative needforbetterorganization ofworldmarkets. Hesaidthatfree tradeisnottheonlywaytosatisfyaIlneedsandthatdiscussion intheGeneral Agreement onTariffs andTrade(GATT)isnownecessary toensurethattheviewsof thedeveloping countries areheard. 4.ThePresident saidthattoppriority mustbeassigned tofoodself-reliance in aIlcountries. Thisobjective canbeachieved through appropriate andincreased levelsofsectoral investment, necessary adjustments tofoodpriceandmarket policies andarevamped international trading system. Henotedthatthereisa concomitant needfortraining inagricultural production andinthemanagement of national savings andruralcredit programmes. Henotedthevitalpriority andneed forruraldevelopment policies andprogrammes indeveloping countries, making special reference totheprogress inthisareaachieved byIndiaandChina. The President concluded hisaddress byacknowledging theimportance oftheCouncil's workandtherecommendations itproduces. Hesaidhewillcontinue towatchthe workoftheCouncil andmaintain apersonal interest in,andbeaspokesman for, efforts andmeasures tofreemankind fromhungerandmalnutrition. 5.Amessage fromtheSecretary-General oftheUnitedNations wasdelivered by Mr. Maur::.~ J.Williams, Executive Director, WorldFoodCouncil. The SecretarY-General extended hisgoodwishestodelegates forasuccessful and productive meeting, notingthattheissuestobeconsidered areofgreatint&rest andimportance tohim.Heobserved thatoneoftheresponses bytheinternational community tothe1972-1973 foodcrisis wastheestablishment oftheWorldFood Council todevelop policyproposaIs aimedattheeradication ofhungerand -14-t r t 8 i d f r aion ,ed the he e ich t :>ns so l )f in E ::ed Ilmalnutrition andtoco-ordinate efforts towards thatend.Whilethe~~rldtodayis feeding lbillion morepeoplethanadecadeago,thenumbers ofhungry and malnourished haveincreased. Thecontinuing existence ofthiscondition is seriously undermining theproductivity andstability ofalargeportion ofhuman resources indeveloping countries. TheSecretary-General urgedtheCouncil to maintain itsfocusonAfrican foodproblems andtoleadtheentireUnitedNations
analysis: The text discusses the World Food Council's ministerial session, focusing on the issues of hunger and malnutrition, particularly in Africa. The President of France and the Secretary-General of the United Nations highlight the importance of food self-reliance, international cooperation, and aid in addressing these issues. The text also touches on the need for better organization of world markets, trade policies, and rural development programs. These themes suggest that the category should be related to agriculture, economic development, and international cooperation.