Irish Examiner view: UN must step up on global food crisis

President’s rebuke to United Nations expressed the frustrations of many of us at its avoidance of issues behind the global food crisis

President Michael D Higgins observed that 75% of the world’s wheat reserves are held by five countries, with the vast majority of the global population reliant on either wheat, maize, or rice. Picture: Maxwells

Whenever the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, makes comments or writes letters that might be considered political, there is no shortage of fluttering opinions about his views.

On this occasion, given the Taoiseach’s scheduled flight to New York was impeded by a bird strike, it is useful that comments were made on behalf of Ireland, in advance of Micheál Martin’s arrival.

President Higgins, expressing the frustrations of many of us, asks why it is that, year after year, the United Nations avoids the structural issues behind the global food crisis. He says the UN has allowed a “food speculation system” that is “gambling on people’s lives”.

President Higgins observed that 75% of the world’s wheat reserves are held by five countries, with the vast majority of the global population reliant on either wheat, maize, or rice.

“We should never, ever have been dependent on three staples," he said. "There are 7,000 forms of food that the planet has used at different times, and we ended up depending on three. We refuse to face the facts that we have allowed four companies control the supply of fertilisers from Russia. Eight large companies control the supply of grain from the Ukraine.”

It is valuable that we have a president who can make these comments in a non-aligned, non-political form. While he may not speak on domestic issues, Ireland has credibility on international subjects, given we are an honest country with an honourable record of confronting imperialism.