20091204

Tunis — Participants in the High-Level International Conference on "Building Knowledge Economies for Job Creation, Increased Competitiveness and Balanced Development," paid tribute to President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali for his leading efforts to achieve a comprehensive and balanced development and lay down solid foundations for Tunisia's scientific, technological and civilisational progress.

They also commended the major contributions of the Head of State to building knowledge economies and prompting innovation and competitiveness.

In a message sent to the President of the Republic, participants in this meeting express their deep consideration to President Ben Ali for the pertinent guidelines and appropriate visions contained in his speech at the opening of the Conference, held on December 1-3, 2009 by ISESCO and the Tunisian Government, in association with the World Bank; such views proceed from a pertinent approach adopted by Tunisia, under President Ben Ali's judicious leadership, on the road of building the knowledge economy based on science and the international experience gained in this area.

Authors of the message also underline the outstanding results that came out of this large-scale event which are likely to support world leaders' efforts aimed to identify operational mechanisms and efficient methods to build knowledge-based economies.

Signees of the message underline that the Conference provided the opportunity to present a comprehensive and global vision with a humanist dimension, in perfect harmony with principles, ideas and initiatives on the basis of which rests Tunisia's vanguard experience in the area of building knowledge economy and achievement of balanced development.

They express their gratitude to President Ben Ali for the sustained support he has lent to events and activities held in Tunisia, under the aegis of ISESCO and the World Bank, reiterating their adherence to the vanguard initiatives announced by the President of the Republic at the inaugural sessions of these events and which were well received by the international community.

Authors of the message reiterate, in this regard, their total adherence to the call launched by the Head of State so that ISESCO proceed with the setting up of a specific agenda in the building of the knowledge economy to be funded by member States and work to deepen co-operation and complementarity among States to gather propitious conditions for progress and development.(TAP)

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