Vienna, 28-29 March 2012 - FAO co-hosted the UN Global Compact Private Sector Focal Points Meeting. The meeting is the most important UN private sector meeting of the year, bringing together UN staff from HQ and from the field, working with the private sector in various capacities. It also included a number of senior private sector, civil society and bilateral aid agency representatives and other partnership experts.
Over 120 representatives from UN agencies, private sector companies and NGOs gathered for the annual United Nations System Private Sector Focal Points Meeting, representing the largest ever turnout of UN and private sector representatives.
The annual meetings serve to enhance communication, strengthen learning, advance coordination and improve collaboration among UN staff working with the private sector. Discussions focused on “Accelerating UN-Business Partnerships”, recognizing the important role the private sector plays in the realization of internationally-agreed goals, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
During the two-day event, a variety of relevant topics were presented, such as innovative partnerships for sustainable development; building partnerships with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); enhancing collaboration and coordination at the country-level; and UN brand management, due diligence and partner selection. Several business representatives with extensive experience in partnering with the UN provided their insights and recommendations for more effective partnerships between the UN and private sector.
FAO, as a co-organizer of the event, coordinated and made arrangements for two specific sessions, namely:Building partnerships with small and medium-sized enterprises and social enterprises - opportunities and challenges; Mobilizing private sector investment in support of food security and poverty reduction.
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