Address by Joan Holmes, President of The Hunger Project

On the Occasion of the Seventh Annual Award Ceremony, Tokyo

I am deeply privileged to be here in Tokyo on this very important evening.

Tonight we honor two great leaders for the end of hunger in Africa. In doing so, we pay tribute not only to these two great leaders -- to their wisdom, creativity and commitment -- but also to the cause for which they stand -- the end of chronic persistent hunger in Africa.

On behalf of The Hunger Project, may I say how privileged we are to sponsor the Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger.

The Hunger Project is a global, non-profit organization, committed to the end of world hunger. The Hunger Project is not a conventional relief or development organization. It is a strategic organization. We design and implement strategic initiatives to resolve the root causes of the persistence of hunger.

The Hunger Project works to end hunger at the village level as well as the policy level, in both the developed and developing worlds. It involves young students as well as leaders of governments and international institutions.

The Hunger Project is on the roster of the UN Economic and Social Council. It has been very active here in Japan, including our Global Youth Conference in 1991, and a seminar co-sponsored with JICA just one year ago.

Mr. Chairman, as we approach the next millennium, the world is at the brink of an entirely new era in human affairs.

The end of the cold war, the rise of democracy, the crumbling of apartheid, the emancipation of women, and the growing movement to preserve the environment, present an entirely new landscape in which humanity will chart its destiny.

At the same time, there remains the suffering and degradation of chronic, persistent hunger. Worldwide, nearly one billion -- I repeat -- one billion of our fellow human beings live in abject poverty. Hundreds of millions of people live without clean water, primary health care or literacy.

More than 25 percent of the world's hungry people live in Africa. Every year, 4 million African children die before the age of five. One-third of Africa's children are seriously malnourished. Africa has the most severe hunger in the world.

Africa is the only region of the world where per-capita food production continues to decline. The continent's economic plight continues to worsen. Now, many countries are experiencing rapid political change with the prospect of increased hardship.

Africa's situation is critical. Yet, we would be making a profound mistake if we were to think that this was the whole story. Africa is not solely a continent of problems, difficulties and crises, but also a continent of extraordinary promise and possibility.

The agricultural potential of Africa is immense. It has rich, fertile soils, water resources that have never been developed and mineral reserves that are virtually untapped. The talents, creativity and strength of the African people are Africa's greatest and most under-utilized resources.

The challenges before Africa are great, but the spirit and determination of the African people are more than equal to the task. Africa can, in fact, have a new future.

Experts often have divergent ideas as to the pathways Africa should follow. However, there is almost universal consensus that the key to Africa's future is leadership.

In recognition of this truth, The Hunger Project initiated the Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger.

The Africa Prize focuses world attention on the contributions that African leaders are making to the economic and social development of their people. The Prize was created not only to acknowledge what HAS been accomplished, but to point the way to what CAN and MUST be accomplished.

Most importantly, the prize is designed to call forth new leadership. With the Africa Prize, we intend to inspire men and women in Africa, and encourage them to assert their leadership for the sustainable end of hunger.

Tonight we honor two great sons of Africa. Their outstanding achievements point the way to a future free from hunger.

President Jerry Rawlings of Ghana has transformed his country from a condition of economic crisis to a model of self-reliance. He is internationally respected for empowering small-scale farmers,

And Father Nzamujo has created a project in Benin that is pioneering innovative approaches to environmentally sustainable agriculture, and inspiring young people to new standards of excellence.

These two distinguished laureates join a body of eleven other men and women whose leadership is charting the course for a new future for Africa. Among the Africa Prize laureates are heads of state, heads of peasant movements, scientists and entrepreneurs. These leaders have made outstanding contributions in health, agriculture, education, the environment and the empowerment of women.

The laureates include both women and men. They span the sectors of government, non-governmental organizations and private enterprise, and they represent every region of sub-Saharan Africa.

These leaders have the commitment to act on their convictions. They have the courage to make tough decisions. They have the vision to seize the opportunity that a new moment in history makes possible. These leaders will be known to future generations as the men and women who led the way to a new freedom for Africa -- the freedom for every child, woman and man to have the chance to lead a healthy and productive life.

Mr. Chairman, distinguished guests, before I conclude, may I express my deep appreciation to the government and people of Japan. Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with dedicated friends and colleagues in Japan. Their commitment and generosity of spirit has inspired me, and has won the respect and admiration of The Hunger Project around the world.

I would like to thank the Japanese government for taking the initiative to organize the Tokyo International Conference on African Development. This is the first conference of its kind, and can be an important milestone in the post Cold-War era. It demonstrates that Japan is wisely putting African Development at the center of the global agenda.

Organized as a high-level, direct dialogue, this conference can provide a fresh look, and new approaches to resolving the issues of debt, trade and human resource development.

I would also like to acknowledge Japan's commitment to review its foreign policies. This review can make good policies ever-more effective in empowering people around the world to end their own hunger.

Finally, on behalf of the six million individuals enrolled in The Hunger Project, and millions of other people committed to the end of hunger, may I congratulate Japan for its leadership in being the world's largest donor of international development assistance. Those who share a vision of a world free from hunger respect your commitment not only for its economic impact, but for the high standard of responsibility, partnership and compassion which it represents.