 |
||
|
Bird flu a
serious threat to developing nations, UN told |
||
|
NEW YORK: Malaysia has called on the international community to give serious attention to the emerging threat from Avian influenza, which had affected some South-East Asian countries. Malaysia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Datuk Hamidon Ali said in addition to the deaths, there was an estimated US$10bil (RM37.71bil) to US$15bil (RM56.57bil) in losses so far to the poultry industry in the region. According to the United Nations, a |
global influenza pandemic can occur any time and claim anywhere between five million and 150 million lives depending on the steps the world takes to combat bird flu. Hamidon said the international community could act through the United Nations. He was speaking at the General Debate of the second committee at the 60th session of the UN General Assembly here. |
Hamidon also touched on the sharp increase in crude oil prices which he said had adversely affected the economies of most developing countries. “The international community should give serious attention to measures to mitigate the impact of rising crude oil prices on the economy of developing countries,” he said. |
|
|
||
|
|
||
