From June 28th, 2001 to July 1st, 2001 the twelfth edition
of the Crans Montana Forum gathered leading personalities
and decision makers from both the public and private sectors
across the world. Over three days, participants have had
the opportunity to interact, exchange information and
discuss issues related to globalisation, regional integration,
liberalisation, privatisation, and investment opportunities
in Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa.Approximately
a hundred countries were represented, including the Rumanian
delegation headed by H.E. Ion Iliescu, President of Rumania,
the Malagasy delegation, headed by his Prime Minister
and Finance Minister, H.E Tantely René Gabrio Andrianarivo,
and the Tunisian delegation, headed by his Prime Minister,
H.E Mohammed Ghannouchi, which were among the most prominent
ones.Based on the recent assumption that Chad could become
the next "Emirate", as suggested in one of the
last IMF reports, the Chad delegation headed by his Prime
Minister, H.E. Nagoum Yamassoum, was also at the centre
of attention.
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In addition, an impressive list of guest speakers had
been conveyed on the occasion. The most innovative speech
was certainly the one delivered by Jean-François
Rischard, World Bank Vice President, who pointed out some
of the accomplishments of his institution and emphasized
the urgent issues to be addressed, such as pollution,
reforestation, fishery depletion, water shortage, financial
instability and poverty. He actually identified 20 major
issues to be tackled and resolved within the next 20 years,
and recommended a "networked governance" (Global
Issues Networks - GINs) to be implemented in an effort
to solve these issues.Even if "the volume of international
aid has declined by 30% over the last decade" and
"10 countries have accounted for ¾ of the
generated growth during that same period", the Forum's
commitment to a more "humane world" is laudable
and the initiative of his President, Jean-Paul Carteron,
should be encouraged. We need a positive cast to developmental
concerns, we need "humility" and sensitiveness
when dealing with developing countries and we also need
the enthusiasm of a Jean-Paul Gandur, President and CEO
of the Addax & Oryx Group, when declaring: "
I am an ardent supporter of Africa!" So are we!
Jean-Marc Césaire
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