April 23, 2008 (LPAC)--A call for yet more "free trade" as the way to relieve the world's food crisis was made yesterday at the UNCTAD XII (U.N. Conference on Trade and Development) session in Accra, the capital of Ghana, by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. He said that Africa, especially, will benefit. Lyndon LaRouche said, "Ban Ki-Moon should resign for moral reasons, and out of sensitivity to the crisis in Africa."

Ban Ki-Moon, in his speech yesterday, addressing soaring food prices, spoke of investment in agriculture and other measures, but he called for an end to support for farming in the developed nations, and an end to the tariffs which inhibit food imports from Africa and least developed nations. Ban said that today's high food prices "call for a substantial increase in investment and expenditure in agriculture. They underscore the importance of pushing for an open trading system in agricultural commodities which will benefit countries around the world. Today's high commodity prices present a unique opportunity to reduce trade-distorting subsidies and tariffs on agricultural products." He called on all countries -- and especially developed nations -- to do more to reduce trade-distorting subsidies. "The benefits of globalization, especially increased trade and investment are some of the surest drivers of long-term growth and human development," Ban said. "Regrettably, Africa has yet to benefit from these worldwide trends."

Again, Ban Ki-Moon should resign for moral reasons, and out of sensitivity to the crisis in Africa.