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Mauritius
proposes orgn., fund for non-oil producing countries
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ADDIS
ABEBA(July 12 - 13,2008) - It is high time that non
petroleum producing countries created their own organization and an
oil fund with the objective countering effects of soaring oil prices
on their development endeavors, ambassador of Mauritius to Ethiopia
proposed on Thursday.
Speaking at a press conference here in Addis Ababa, Ambassador Premduth
Doongoor said the idea of creating the two most indispensable institutions
to be named the Organization of Non-Oil Producing Countries (ONOPC)
and the International Oil Fund for Africa, including Least Developed
Countries (LDCs) was real and achievable.
He told reporters he has already embarked on a mission to make that
a reality and that he was doing all in his capacity to that end.
The ambassador said he had already prepared a draft document for the
establishment of the ONOPC and held discussions with representatives
of various countries.
The ambassador said he is to hold discussions with Prime Minister
Meles Zenawi to convince the premier agree on the headquarters of
ONOPC.
He said he has brought the subject of the noble cause to the attention
of the African Union, the United Nations and other regional and international
organizations believed to be influential in helping him achieve his
ambitions.
What's more, the ambassador is determined to make Addis Ababa the
seat of ONOPC and hopes will prove detrimental in defusing the threat
that comes for not being an oil producing countries.
The diplomat said that the recent surge in oil prices has had disastrous
consequences for the economies of small developing countries that
do not produce oil themselves.
According to the ambassador, the soaring oil price world wide is the
'sole responsible' for non achievement of the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) in 2015.
"It will be a dream. We will not be able to meet it" he
said, referring to the UN-set MDGs.
The only solution, he said, was the creation of an organization of
ONOPC as a protective tool for "bargaining power which is overdue"
and the creation of international petrol fund.
The diplomat who also holds responsibility as an ambassador to the
African Union Commission, and the United Nations Economic Commission
for Africa here in Addis Ababa and is high Commissioner to Uganda
and Kenya urged the African Union, the European Union, the G8 countries,
including OPEC to support the idea during the next United Nations
general assembly to be held in New York in September.
He said he was going to appeal to the UN to study the solution and
come up with a resolution in the next meeting.
'Vibrant appeal' to the EU to support the same and to add in the aid
for trade the creation of international petrol fund for Africa and
the LDCs, African Union, ACP and all international organizations to
be committed were planed by the initiator to be made.
Moreover, even appeal to OPEC to contribute as a donor in this fund
towards human development economic development and growth eradication
of poverty in Africa and other LDCs is intended.
The soaring oil price, which is expected to reach 200 US dollars a
barrel in the near future, is threatening the human resource development,
successive economic growth, the step up inflation among non-oil producing
countries, he said.
The ambassador said, the price hike has been contributing negatively
towards infrastructure development, poverty reduction, and flow of
foreign direct investment.
He said the production of bio-fuel as a result of oil price hike is
aggravating shortage of food grain worldwide, especially in African
countries.
Oil prices last week peaked at 145 dollars a barrel, twice their level
in July 2007.
On Thursday, OPEC's secretary general remained silent in the face
of growing calls, including from the world's poorer countries, to
hike output in order to curb the rise in prices.
Facing the skyrocketing prices, different people gave different reasons.
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