UN Private Sector Forum Seeks Long-term Response to Global Food Crisis, Endemic Poverty

(New York, 24 September 2008/UN DPI)

World Business Leaders Hope to Generate New Commitments for Food Sustainability

In a high-level afternoon programme opened by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, animated by former United States President Bill Clinton and activist musician Bob Geldof, and closed by World Bank President Robert Zoellick, the first ever United Nations Private Sector Forum brought business, civic and Government leaders together to work with the world body on a long-term response to the global food crisis and endemic poverty.

The Forum also launched the "Business Call to Action", aimed at engaging private enterprise in achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, as well as the "Framework for Business Engagement with the United Nations", developed to more effectively mobilize private sector efforts in that regard.  Finally, the Forum included a series of round tables which analysed the various challenges of sustainable development.

Full press release available at http://www.unglobalcompact.org/NewsAndEvents/news_archives/2008_09_24b.html

More information about the UN Private Sector Forum available at http://www.unglobalcompact.org/NewsAndEvents/event_archives/2008_UN_Private_Sector_Forum/index.html