UNITED NATIONS – The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, has said that promoting [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
entrepreneurship and expanding access to financial services are challenges developing countries face in growing a vibrant private sector.
This is contained in a message Ban sent on Monday to First International Entrepreneurs Investment
[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”8″]
Forum, holding in Manama, Bahrain.
The statement was made available to UN correspondents in New York.
He noted in the statement that the forum can foster exchanges of expertise and best practices; forge partnerships and identify investment opportunities in those countries.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), in collaboration with Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Prime Minister, is organising the Forum.
The theme of the conference is: “Entrepreneurship and Investment for Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development.”
NAN reports that the three-day event will explore the main issues faced by entrepreneurs worldwide.
The forum will provide participants with an opportunity to acquire the latest expertise in the field, expand networks, build partnerships and develop new joint projects.
It is expected that the recommendations made at the forum will lead to the adoption of a Bahrain Declaration on Entrepreneurship Development.
More than 1,000 stakeholders will participate from all over the world, including high-level delegations from international organisations and institutions.
These include the Arab Thought Forum; the Islamic Development Bank; the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA); the General Union of Chambers of Commerce.
Others are the Industry and Agriculture for Arab Countries; and the Arab International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Investment.
The forum’s sessions will focus on fostering entrepreneurship development, financial models to support entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, and support institutions for entrepreneurs.
NAN reports that, parallel panels will showcase entrepreneurship development examples in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America; including the BRICS countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
The secretary-general said economic and financial crisis of the past several years have led to global employment crisis.
He said it has affected all countries, regions and all segments of society, across the Middle East and North Africa region over the past few years.
Ban said it is increasingly being recognised that industrialisation, if conducted in an inclusive and sustainable manner, can create jobs, generate income, increase productivity and transform economies.
“Reaping these and other benefits depends, first and foremost, on fostering a dynamic private sector.
“In particular, countries need to promote competitive small-and medium-sized enterprises, which are the main source of economic activities and the largest employer in many developing countries.
“It is equally viewed as main engines of empowerment for women and young people,” he said.
He said that the forum which was timely, was taking place as the United Nations member states shape a post-2015 development agenda and a meaningful agreement on climate change.
As member states move towards a new era of sustainable development, he said, he will count on their leadership and support.
UNIDO, Ban said, will remain their partner in this important work. (NAN)
