Bernama On-Line, August 4, 2007

Smart Partnerships Enhance Development Of Participating Nations
By Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah

LANGKAWI, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Smart partnerships forged between governments and the private sector through the Langkawi International Dialogue (LID) play an important role in enhancing the economic development of all participating countries.

In stating this today, Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation Sdn Bhd's chief executive officer Datuk Iskandar Mizal Mahmood said the partnership is crucial as it is a tested and proven model of economic development in developing countries.

"It is always crucial for robust and, more importantly, sustainable economic growth," he told Bernama here.

"The government can only contribute the platform while the private sector will generate the activity."

Malaysia is hosting LID for the eighth time from tomorrow to Tuesday since the event started in 1995.

This year marks the first time that Wisma Putra is organising the event with resource support from the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MiGHT) and the London-based Commonwealth Partnershiph for Technology Management.

LID 2007 will enable stakeholders in a nation's development to share experiences through the now popular concept of smart partnership and initiate efforts in eradicating poverty.

The stakeholders include governments, the private sector, civil society, women, youths, social groups, non-governmental organisations and the media.

Countries participating at LID 2007 include Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, St Vincent and Grenadines, Kenya, Gambia, Uganda, Zambia, Sudan, Swaziland and Lesotho.

Referring to LID 2007's theme of "Poverty Eradication through Human Capital Development and Capacity Building", Iskandar Mizal said biotechnology is one of the enabling tools in the fight to eradicate poverty.

He said the emergence of this technology coincides with the growing concerns among developing countries on issues such as food sufficiency.

"Its application will enhance the value creation of the agricultural sector, including enabling it to produce greater yields than ever before, especially in the face of a growing population," he added.

Iskandar Mizal said biotechnology will help in eradicating poverty in the short term, while in the long run, it can help to sustain growth of the world economy.

BiotechCorp is putting up an exhibition booth at the LID Showcase here.