The Food Giant After The Cold War The United States In The Non-assistance Role

The food prices on the international market were steadily raising as the price of oil soared in 2006. A protracted large-scale food crisis swept the globe, having a deep influence to the daily life of people in developing countries. In particular the food crisis triggered conflicts, riots and even political pendulum in the least developed countries. Food as the vital strategic material and overlooked issue became the focus of world attention again. The developing countries concentrate to meet people's basic food, while the developed countries concern on the research and development of bio-energy. The implement of U.S. Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 burnt a lot of corn which could have supported hundreds of millions of people for a year. The least-developed countries badly need food aid from the developed countries and international organizations to handle this crisis.The United States as the world's largest food producer and exporter plays an important role in the international food aid. Africa is the poorest continent with the world's largest number of poor people who lack of food. Food has become an important link of bilateral relations. U.S. is leading the foreign aid of the developed countries to Africa and the absolute amount of foreign aid of U.S. is the largest. However, the foreign aid has never been a purely economic issue deeply marked by politics or military. During the Cold War, the key purpose of U.S. foreign assistance was to compete with the Soviet Union to expand sphere of influence. U.S. aid to Africa caused domestic controversy with the end of the Cold War. But the United States continued aid to Africa, one of which is food aid--- the most useful way of assistance because of U.S. global strategy and Africa's abundant natural resources.U.S. food aid to Africa directly affects the interests of U.S. food giants. The power of these food giants can not be ignored in the United States which have an important impact on domestic and foreign policy. These food giants make every effort to influence the formulation and implementation of U.S. government's strategy and policy on foreign assistance to maximize their own interests. As their positions and objectives are not completely consistent, U.S. government and these food giants struggle with each other on the foreign aid in the short term. But in the 20 years of the post-Cold War they have realized that only cooperation could achieve win-win outcomes and they reach a compromise on foreign aid to Africa. Therefore, the U.S. food giants play an irreplaceable role in the process of U.S. foreign aid to Africa.