Rich nations' leaders, including an Africa-bound Barack Obama, today unveiled a $15 billion (Dh55bn) boost for food production as they were urged to help the world's poor during the downturn.
Shifting the focus away from aid towards practical help for agriculture, the eight most industrialised nations and 19 partner countries agreed to bankroll a project designed to help smallholder farmers improve their yields.
"We encourage other countries and private actors to join in the common effort towards global food security," said a joint statement released on the last day of a G8 summit being held in Italy.
"We are determined to improve co-ordination of financing mechanisms and stand ready to ensure that new resources compliment existing facilities and programmes," the statement added.
The United States will stump up around $3.5bn of the cash and the announcement came hours before Mr Obama was due to set off on his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa as US president.
Kanayo Nwanze, head of the UN agricultural agency IFAD, was among those who welcomed the launch, said the plan represented a "shift from food aid, which is like providing medication after the child is ill, to providing assistance to help the countries ... produce food by themselves."
Mr Obama called on other countries to back the plan at an expanded G8 heads of state breakfast meeting joined by the leaders of Algeria, Angola, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Senegal as well as the African Union chairman and Libyan leader Muammer Qadafi.
The breakfast focused on the effects of the world economic crisis on Africa. Later, the veteran Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak called for a freeze of repayments on loans to African countries to help them weather the downturn.
The expanded meeting gave G8 leaders an opportunity to cement ties with leaders from the developing nations.
Mr Obama and his wife Michelle, a descendant of African slaves, was to leave for Ghana later today on the first visit to sub-Saharan Africa by a black US president.
Mr Obama is expected to stress the interconnection between Africa and the rest of the world in the 21st century in the West African country, his aides said.
On Thursday, Mr Obama said the world's biggest economies had reached a "historic consensus" on cutting pollution, saying rich nations had a duty to set an example, as the leaders also agreed to shun protectionism.
*AFP
The Breadwinner
Director: Nora Twomey
Starring: Saara Chaudry, Soma Chhaya, Laara Sadiq
Three stars
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Company%20profile
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
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Abu Dhabi Card
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 1,400m
National selection: AF Mohanak
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 90,000 1,400m
National selection: Jayide Al Boraq
6pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 100,000 1,400m
National selection: Rocket Power
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship Listed (PA) Dh 180,000 1,600m
National selection: Ihtesham
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 1,600m
National selection: Noof KB
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 2.200m
National selection: EL Faust
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
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