Small, developing nations feel impact of food and energy crisis

New York – The Marshall Islands said Friday electrical power in the small Pacific nation may be switched off in September when its fuel supplies are expected to run out, as high food and energy prices have begun to hit hard some developing countries, particularly small islands isolated from the rest of the world.

‘Unless urgent international action is taken, the Marshall Islands will exhaust its present fuel supplies this September,’ said Rina Targo, a representative of the islands at the United Nations. ‘This is a dire situation in which we may be left without electricity for the foreseeable future.’


The islands’ president, Litokwa Tomeing, declared on July 3 a state of emergency because of rising food and fuel prices and ordered conservation measures, she said.

Targo said one measure called for ‘fast-tracking domestic agricultural projects to reduce heavy dependance upon imported food.’

DPA