NEWS RELEASE
From the office of the Green MEPs
  
22 August, 2002												page 1 of 1
 
US SEEKS EU HELP TO FORCE GM FOOD ON AFRICA

The US State Department yesterday appealed to the European Union to 
help force Southern African nations facing devastating famine to 
accept a $50m consignment of genetically modified (GM) food.

Both Malawi and Zambia have refused to accept the US’s offer of loans 
to buy GM grain, while the offer remains under consideration by 
Zimbabwe. None of the three countries currently allow the import or 
planting of GM foods – which could have a devastating impact on human 
health and food security in the region.

While the US argues African nations are resisting GM to protect their 
European export markets, the reality is far bleaker.

Introducing GM food into the region would effectively be introducing 
anti-biotic resistant genes into a region already devastated by HIV 
and AIDS. And through corporate control of patents, African farmers 
would be forbidden from replanting the seeds, effectively undermining 
their ability to feed themselves in future.

Green Party MEP Caroline Lucas said: “It is clearly unacceptable for 
the US to impose a solution to starvation which will have a devastating 
impact on the ability of farmers to feed themselves in the future.”

Dr Lucas, who is a member of the European Parliament’s trade committee 
and of the Parliament’s delegation to the ACP (African, Caribbean and 
Pacific countries), added: “On the eve of the World Summit on Sustainable 
Development in Johannesburg – which US president Bush is refusing to 
attend – this is a cynical attempt to force unwanted genetically modified 
organisms on to Sub Saharan Africa at the behest of US agri-business 
interests.”

ENDS

For more information please contact Ben Duncan on 
020 7407 6280 or 0776 997 0691