Top UN Officials To Attend World Economic Forum

Top UN Officials To Attend Upcoming World Economic Forum

New York, Nov 6 2008 1:10PM
Senior United Nations officials will be among the 700 global executives, economists and other experts attending the World Economic Forum that kicks off tomorrow in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

In his address to the gathering, Lennart Båge, President of the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), is expected to spotlight the importance of helping the world’s 450 million smallholder farms, which support more than 2 billion people in developing countries.

He will also stress the need for farmers to boost their output to meet demand and counterbalance the rise in food prices.

Founded in 1971, the World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Participants at the three-day gathering in Dubai are expected to discuss the need to boost agricultural investment, water scarcity and youth unemployment in rural areas of the Near East and North Africa.

While in the UAE, Mr. Båge will meet with the Persian Gulf nation’s top officials, as well as briefing on several IFAD-backed research programmes in the region, including the Regional Centre for Plant Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Doha, Qatar.

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