PM to deliver landmark speech at conference

2009/10/05

Nuraina Samad reporting from Paris

PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is here on a four-day official visit to France, will deliver his keynote address at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) general conference tomorrow.

He will be the first speaker to address the conference. The second speaker is Filip Vujanovic, president of Montenegro.

This will be the first time in 50 years a Malaysian prime minister is invited to deliver a keynote address at the general conference of this 64-year-old UN agency.

Of significance is Unesco’s new director-general — Irina Bokova.

The Bulgarian diplomat is the first woman to be elected to the post.

Bokova was elected directorgeneral when she defeated controversial Egyptian Culture Minister Farouk Hosny at a closelyfought race last month.

Najib, accompanied by his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, arrived here early yesterday to begin his four-day visit, his first to a European country since becoming prime minister.

The couple were met on arrival at Le Bourget airport by Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Anifah Aman, Deputy Education Minister Dr Puad Zakarshi and Malaysian Ambassador to France Datuk S. Thanarajasingam.

Also present was Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.

They proceeded to the Four Seasons Hotel George V where the prime minister and his entourage are staying.

Later in the evening, the prime minister and his wife met some 250 Malaysian students at Pavillon Dauphine in Place du Marechal de Lattre Tassigny, near here.

There are more than 450 Malaysian students in various institutions of higher learning in France, most of whom are government- sponsored, majoring in engineering and biotechnology.

A 1Malaysia Hari Raya open house was also held later at the same venue.

Today, Najib leaves for Cannes in the French Riviera for the MIPCOM exhibition where MSC Malaysia companies are taking part, including the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDec), the organisation mandated to lead the growth of ICT industry in Malaysia.

Najib returns here later in the day to meet with Malaysia- France Friendship Group president Jean-Marie La Guen.

He begins a hectic programme tomorrow with a meeting with Angel Gurria, Secretar y-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Last year, Ethisphere magazine ranked Gurria 12th among 100 Most Influential People in Business Ethics.

Ethisphere magazine is the quarterly publication of the Ethisphere Institute, a leading international think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability.

In the evening, he will call on French Prime Minister Francois Fillon.

On the final day of his visit, Najib will call on French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the presidential residence, the Palais de l’Ély - sée, located in Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré near the ChampsÉlysées in Western Paris.

Prior to that on the same day, the prime minister has a slew of meetings, beginning with a breakfast meeting with selected captains of industry of MEDEF (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or the Movement of the French Enterprises, the largest union of employers in France.

There are also scheduled meetings with Speaker of the National Assembly Bernard Accoyer at the Assemblee Nationale and a luncheon with Finance Minister Christine Lagarde.

Najib will also witness the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding — between Halal Development Corporation Sdn Bhd and Benefiq Pte Ltd, and between Naza Automotive Manufacturing Sdn Bhd and Automobiles Peugeot.

Malaysia is France’s second largest trading partner, among Asean countries.