Central Africans hit by famine
2004-01-28 20:21
Brazzaville - At least one-third of central Africans suffer from famine and nutritional deficiencies, the head of the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), Jacques Diouf, said on Wednesday.
In a speech given at the opening ceremony of a summit meeting of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (Cemac), Diouf condemned "the precarious food situation" in the grouping's member states and those of its larger sister group, the Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC).
"Fifty-seven percent of the population of CEEAC and 30% of the population of Cemac suffer hunger and nutritional deficiencies," said Diouf.
Cemac groups Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, with the tiny island nation of Sao Tome and Principe having observer status within the community.
The same seven countries, together with Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda form CEEAC, which on Tuesday ended its own two-day summit meeting in Congo's capital Brazzavaille.
Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso chairs both groupings.