France with FAO launches a fund to help African agriculture

France, FAO and the African Development Bank launched the initiative of a fund of 500 million euros to help African agriculture, said Wednesday the French secretary of state for Cooperation, Alain Joyandet on BFM radio.

•     Indicating having had the previous day with the Director General of FAO (UN agency for agriculture and food) Jacques Diouf, said Mr. Joyandet has an initiative with him and the African Development Bank to launch a specific fund for agriculture.  
  
      There will be the African Development Bank, there will obviously be the FAO, and we have funds coming from the UAE as a first step 200 million euros and then 500 million dollars to finance all these agricultural and agro food, said Secretary of State.
  
      Official development assistance is what we need to revive Africa and to address the decline, said Joyandet.
  
      The French president Nicolas Sarkozy has insisted that Africa is present (in London G20 last week), which was the case, and that we have the results to the challenge, he said.
  
      Mr Sarkozy had promised during a visit to Africa in late March to defend the G20 in the interests of the continent, saying it could contribute to global restart of the world economy.
  
      
  Ennaharonline/ M. O./ Afp