UK to snub Mugabe at UN food summit

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International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander will snub Mr Mugabe after saying it was "obscene" he was allowed to take part in the meeting.

Mr Mugabe, blamed for wrecking his country's economy and leaving starving millions dependent on food aid, can attend despite an EU travel ban as it is a United Nations-organised event.

The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation has urged wealthy nations to use the summit to agree "urgent and concrete actions" to address rising malnutrition rates.

Emergency aid combined with investment in local agriculture and rural communities is required quickly to prevent the situation worsening, it will tell world leaders.

Debt campaigners called for affected countries to be granted a moratorium on repayments and for Haiti, which has been hit by food riots, to have its £650 million debt cancelled.

Christian Aid and the Jubilee Debt Campaign said an emergency World Bank grant to Haiti, announced on Friday, was a "sticking plaster" that would only cover 10 weeks of debt repayments.

A European food safety chief suggested another solution - lifting the ban on feeding animal remains to pigs and chickens, imposed to prevent the spread of BSE, to allow grain to be sent to suffering countries.

Patrick Wall, chairman of the European Food Safety Authority, told The Times newspaper he was not sure it was "morally or ethically correct" during a global food shortage to feed grain to animals.

The Government said it was awaiting advice on the issue but would not accept any change without proof it posed no risk to public safety.