For the past several months, much has been written, both in the U.S. and abroad, about rising food prices. Volatility in food prices is especially detrimental for people in developing countries where the poor can spend up to 80 percent of their income on food.
Business
17 April 2011 Last updated at 04:54 ET
He was speaking in Washington at the end of the spring meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
Meanwhile, G20 finance chiefs, who also met in Washington, pledged financial support to help new governments in the Middle East and North Africa.
Mr Zoellick said such support was vital.
"The crisis in the Middle East and North Africa underscores how we need to put the conclusions from our latest world development report into practice. The report highlighted the importance of citizen security, justice and jobs," he said.
He also called for the World Bank to act quickly to support reforms in the region.
"Waiting for the situation to stabilise will mean lost opportunities. In revolutionary moments the status quo is not a winning hand."
IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn raised particular concerns about high levels of unemployment among young people. "It's probably too much to say that it's a jobless recovery, but it's certainly a recovery with not enough jobs," he said. "Especially because of youth unemployment... there is now a risk that this will be turned into a life sentence, and that there is a possibility of a lost generation," he said.
World Bank president: 'One shock away from crisis'
The president of the World Bank has warned that the world is "one shock away from a full-blown crisis".
Robert Zoellick cited rising food prices as the main threat to poor nations who risk "losing a generation".He was speaking in Washington at the end of the spring meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
Food price changes Q1 2010 to Q1 2011 | |
|---|---|
| Source: World Bank Development Prospects Group | |
| Maize | 74% |
| Wheat | 69% |
| Palm oil | 55% |
| Soybeans | 36% |
| Beef | 30% |
| Rice | -2% |
Meanwhile, G20 finance chiefs, who also met in Washington, pledged financial support to help new governments in the Middle East and North Africa.
Mr Zoellick said such support was vital.
"The crisis in the Middle East and North Africa underscores how we need to put the conclusions from our latest world development report into practice. The report highlighted the importance of citizen security, justice and jobs," he said.
He also called for the World Bank to act quickly to support reforms in the region.
"Waiting for the situation to stabilise will mean lost opportunities. In revolutionary moments the status quo is not a winning hand."
At the Washington meetings, turmoil in the Middle East, volatile oil prices and high unemployment were also discussed.
IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn raised particular concerns about high levels of unemployment among young people. "It's probably too much to say that it's a jobless recovery, but it's certainly a recovery with not enough jobs," he said. "Especially because of youth unemployment... there is now a risk that this will be turned into a life sentence, and that there is a possibility of a lost generation," he said.
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