Looking to the future: Najib explaining Malaysia’s federal administrative capital Putrajaya to African leaders after a briefing on ‘Transforming and Realising National Visions: Malaysia’s Perspective’ held at the Prime Minister’s Office Monday. They are in town for the Langkawi International Dialogue 2011
African nations have expressed interest and responded positively to the global movement of moderates.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said he had taken the opportunity to explain the concept to the heads of governments during the Leaders Retreat at the Langkawi International Dialogue.
“The leaders are interested in the idea and there is positive response in support of the concept,” he told reporters after chairing the retreat yesterday.
Najib had in his address to the United Nations General Assembly last year called for the global movement of moderates that would see governments, intellectuals, religious scholars and business leaders across the world take a united stand against extremism.
The Prime Minister said that during the discussion, Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete had shared his country's experience in which the government was in the midst of identifying moderates to solve the conflict between the Hutu and Tutsi tribes in Burundi.
“Kenya's vice-president (Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka) noted that the global movement of moderates was a good platform for Non-Aligned Movement countries to adopt as a theme and a cause for members,” said Najib.
He said leaders had also spoken at length on the issue of food and energy security and the role of social media for transformation during the session.
He added that low food production was due to the lack of technology and use of poor-yield seeds, poor irrigation and unskilled farmers.
Najib said poor access to credit facilities for farming was also a reason, adding that the Commonwealth Partnership for Technology Management had been tasked to look into ways to improve food production among African nations.
“The leaders also stressed that ICT was an important tool that could boost the education level and knowledge among their people. If changes are to take place, the basis of change is to enhance education.
“They are also interested in expanding collaboration with Malaysia in the education sector and want our private education institutions to set up branches or campuses in their countries. There are specific requests from Kenya and Tanzania for this,” he said.
