(Communicated by the Office of the President)
President Shimon Peres, on Friday afternoon, 8 March 2013, held a working
meeting with OECD Angel Gurría, at the organization's headquarters in Paris and
presented a new economic initiative to create an international body made up of
global companies to invest in the Middle East and developing world. According to
the proposed initiative, the international body will bring together leading
global companies and will assist in the progress and economic development of
Middle Eastern countries.
President Peres said that the main problems in the Middle East are
instability, terrorism and unemployment and that the initiative will provide a
solution for the issues of hunger and unemployment in the region. The new
organization will provide a coordinating mechanism which, through the global
companies, will put in place projects for economic investment and development,
building of infrastructure and new technologies in the Middle East and
developing countries.
President Peres stressed that, "The State of Israel is an example of the fact
that the key to prosperity and economic independence is not natural resources
but investment in technology and hi-tech. Israel will continue to share the
knowledge it has gained in the fields of technology, renewable energy and
agriculture and continue to lead within the OECD new international initiatives
which will provide solutions for the Middle East and developing countries in the
fields of technology, infrastructure, communication and healthcare."
In that regard President Peres added that developing countries and the
countries of the Middle East face significant challenges including high
unemployment, hunger and poverty. With the business ability of the global
companies and new technologies, including Israeli technology, it will be
possible to create hi-tech incubators in those countries that need which will
develop the local economy especially in light of the political and budgetary
challenges being faced by governments and the potential positive impact of
global companies.
The Secretary-General of the OECD said to President Peres that Israel has
made a significant contribution to the OECD, "Israel has become an important
contributor to the OECD's work. Its knowledge on key areas for the viability of
our economies, like water management, “clean-techs” and entrepreneurship, is
becoming a source of best practices."
Following their meeting the two presented the initiative to the senior forum
of the OECD which included hundreds of representatives of global companies and
senior leaders of the OECD.