By NNN-Bernama
Langkawi : Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s address at the opening of the Langkawi International Dialogue (LID) 2007 is expected to take the limelight when the event begins here Sunday.
Abdullah, a strong advocate of poverty alleviation, will propound his ideas, proposals and thoughts on how African and Asian countries attending this eighth edition of the LID can eradicate poverty.
He will declare open LID 2007, themed “Poverty Eradication through Human Capital Development and Capacity Building”, at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre here Sunday night.
His speech will more than set the tone for the three-day dialogue to be attended by more than 10 heads of state or government.
It will offer workable solutions to the problems faced by southern and east African countries, especially in alleviating poverty.
“The Prime Minister’s keynote address at the opening is important as it will contain his proposals, views and thoughts on LID, apart from other things, and how we should move forward and tackle problems faced by the African states,” Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said yesterday.
He said the theme for LID 2007 was chosen by the Prime Minister himself as the issue of poverty eradication is “very close to his heart.”
Abdullah, as the host patron of LID 2007, will make use of the impressions he gained during his recent visits to several African countries, including Namibia, Kenya and Sudan, when he leads the discussions on how nations could effectively break free from the clutches of poverty.
Malaysia has the credentials as it has just about wiped out poverty, from more than 50 percent of its people living below the poverty line when the country gained independence in 1957 to just above five percent at present.
Malaysia’s successful transition from being an underdeveloped country to one on the threshold of fully developed nation status within just five decades will no doubt be seen by the participating countries as a beacon of hope and a guiding light.
While Malaysia can boast of an impressive track record in bringing down the poverty level, the same can hardly be said of many other participating nations.
Zambia, for example, faced a poverty rate of 83 percent last year while the rate was 82.8 percent for Zimbabwe, 54 percent for Mozambique, 69 percent for Swaziland and 40 percent for Sudan.
For Botswana, the poverty rate was 30.3 percent in 2003 and for Uganda, it was 35 percent in 2001.
These figures speak for themselves on reasons why these African countries have been keen to attend the LID series since its inception in 1995. These nations feel that Malaysia can help in alleviating poverty, which is the root cause for various other social problems.
Abdullah’s first-hand experiences gained from his African visits should also stand in good stead in working with the other participants to find a workable solution to another major African problem, the refugee issue in Darfur, Sudan.
Apart from the opening dinner, LID 2007 today will also see a luncheon for heads of state and government and the first Commonwealth Partnership for Technology Management (CPTM) Fellows Activity.
The First Ladies of heads of state and government will also hold their special social issues activity.
Also in the programme is the opening of the Dialogue Exhibition at the Berjaya Langkawi Beach and Spa Resort, where LID 2007 will be held.
Meanwhile, several heads of state and government are expected to arrive at the Langkawi International Airport today.
They include Sudan’s President Omar Hassan, Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, Zimbabwe’s President Robert Gabriel Mugabe and the Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves.
Among other VIPs scheduled to land today are Laos’ Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Onneva Phammachanh, Malta’s Foreign Minister Dr Michael Frendo and Cambodia’s Senior Minister Chhay Than.
Abdullah and Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak will also be here today.
Former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is also in today’s arrivals list.