GlobeCrier!

Panama urges UN to declare global state of emergency to confront food crisis
23 September 2008 – Panamanian President Martín Torrijos Espino today called on the United Nations General Assembly to declare a global state of emergency to confront the crisis of soaring food prices by mobilizing all governmental forces, private initiative and international organizations to save millions of people from the jaws of poverty.

“In the constitution of nearly every State, the declaration of a state of emergency exists as a mechanism to confront imminent dangers to national security,” he told the Assembly’s annual debate. “I am convinced that in light of food prices we are now face to face with a threat to social peace and the General Assembly could declare it as such.”