Southeast Asia nations meeting in Bali have agreed to cooperate over the rice market, Malaysia's trade minister said today, as rocketing prices shock a region where the grain is a core part of most meals.
The issue of food security is expected to dominate the weekend trade meeting of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the Indonesian resort island.
Malaysian Trade Minister Muhyiddin Yassin told reporters that a statement due to be released this morning - a day earlier than expected - would include rice. Asked whether ASEAN members had agreed to cooperate over rice, he said: "Yes, yes," without elaborating.
Asian rice prices have almost trebled this year.
Countries including India, Vietnam, Indonesia and Brazil have imposed curbs on food exports in a bid to secure domestic supplies and limit inflation.
In Washington, the African Development Bank pledged $1 billion more for food aid yesterday and urged grain-exporting countries not to restrict shipments.
The World Food Program has described soaring food prices as a "silent tsunami" that threatens to plunge more than 100 million people from every continent into poverty.
The new U.N. food envoy is seeking a special meeting of the UN Human Rights Council this month to address a global food crisis he said was a "massive violation" of human rights.
Speaking yesterday, Olivier De Schutter said he wanted the Geneva-based Human Rights Council to hold a special session around May 22 or 23 to complement efforts by other international agencies to tackle the crisis and to establish it as a human rights issue.