Jordan Times
Sunday, September 17, 2006
King, 10 heads of state
to launch G-11 initiative
King Abdullah to address Arab American Action Forum in New York on the
importance of partnership between
Arab business leaders and their counterparts worldwide
NEW YORK (Petra) — A forum for cooperation and knowledge-sharing among nine
Lower Middle Income Countries (LMICs), in addition to Croatia and Pakistan, will
be officially launched at a one-day summit, hosted by His Majesty King Abdullah
in New York on Sept. 20.
Meeting on the sidelines of the 61st session of the United Nations General
Assembly, the Group of Eleven (G-11) will discuss ways to create a shared
platform for growth and development and to enhance the role of participating
countries in the global trade and investment arena.
In addition to Jordan, the group includes Morocco, Tunisia, Ecuador, Georgia,
Indonesia, Paraguay, Sri Lanka, Honduras, Pakistan and Croatia.
Using their existing commonalties as a basis for discussion, participants will
seek to build partnerships within the group to deliver benefits for their
people.
King Abdullah will deliver the keynote address, which will underscore the
necessity of mobilising international support to facilitate the acceleration of
economic growth in the G-11 countries.
In the speech, the King is expected to call for partnership between these states
and advanced countries, especially the G-8, with the aim of enhancing reform,
economic growth and stability and foreign investment in these countries.
He will also shed light on the common challenges facing these countries, namely
poverty, unemployment, debt, fluctuating energy prices and regional instability.
More than a quarter of the world’s people live in LMICs. The G-11 hopes to
attract more countries of the same category to join the initiative in the
future.
The next G-11 summit will be held in May 2007 on the sidelines of the World
Economic Forum at the Dead Sea, Jordan.
King Abdullah is also due to address an Arab American Action Forum in New York
on the importance of partnership between Arab business leaders and their
counterparts worldwide.
In his keynote address during the Sept. 18-19 forum, the King will talk about
the positive role Arab business leaders can play in the Middle East and other
areas.
The Young Arab Leaders Organisation is scheduled to hold the forum, which will
group 200 Arab and American participants.
“The event seeks to encourage dialogue between Young Arab Leaders and American
decision makers, focusing on knowledge exchange in areas of entrepreneurship,
leadership development and education,” organisers said.
Former US president Bill Clinton, Executive President and founder of the World
Economic Forum Klaus Schwab and United Nations Deputy Secretary General Mark
Malloch Brown are scheduled to take part in the meeting.
The task force of Arab and American decision makers will come together to
develop and sign on to commitments, which will be launched at the Clinton Global
Initiative on Sept. 20, 2006, the organisers said.
The King and Her Majesty Queen Rania are also due to attend the second meeting
of the Clinton Initiative, which was launched last year in their presence.
Clinton launched the Global Initiative to support efforts aimed at facing
international challenges, including poverty, using religion in solving
conflicts, climate change and the need for good governance.
In a speech at the ceremony, King Abdullah called on the international society
and NGOs to help Palestinians and give them hope of a better future. He also
defended Islam, rejecting any association between the faith and terrorism or
violence.
The Monarch highlighted Amman Message, launched by Jordan in 20004 to clarify
the true image of Islam for the most Muslims.
King Abdullah is also expected to deliver a speech at this year’s meeting,
scheduled for Wednesday.