The Address of HRH Prince Talal Bin Abdul Aziz
President of the Arab Gulf Programme for United Nations Development Organizations (AGFUND)
The AGFUND International Prize for Pioneering Development Projects Ceremony

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Ladies and gentlemen

May Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon you

Welcome to our evening. Allow us to express our deepest gratitude and appreciation for the government and people of Turkey, for hosting this development event.

Istanbul is the eighth stop of the AGFUND Prize, since the Higher Committee approved taking the award ceremony to developing countries in accordance with set criteria, with a view to enhancing the message communicated by the Prize, and cementing relations with nations.
Turkey’s special location among the three continents, the example it set among developing nations, especially the Arab and Islamic worlds, not to mention the advanced concept it adopts in handling and co-existing with its surrounding, are all factors that encourage the choice of Turkey as a venue for the event.

Ladies and gentlemen

The AGFUND Prize that we announced in 1999 stands as moral support for the partnership mechanism adopted by AGFUND in enhancing human development worldwide. We constantly believe in the possibility of boosting development and vastly extending its scope, through advanced partnerships with partners and donors, provided that partnerships are coupled with commitment by developing countries to achieve justice and respect for people’s will.

Along the past decade, the Prize was able to raise highly significant development issues, such as deadly diseases that cause people to live in terror, threats of droughts, and wars over water that are particularly looming in our region, as well as the impending perils threatening the environment, as a result of which man’s future on earth is left at stake.

Those to be honored today are pioneers in visual impairment prevention, which shackles the abilities of millions of people around the world. Therefore, individuals who lead people back to light and give them a fresh breath of hope are entitled to see their efforts appreciated and their concepts disseminated for all communities to benefit from, because development ideas are in fact public property.

Tomorrow, the Committee of the Prize will be announcing, here in Istanbul, the winning projects in the fields of (Application of technology to improve agricultural output), with the aim of curbing the soaring prices, and restraining poverty that is spreading in numerous provinces, an insult to man’s dignity.

On that occasion, we pay tribute to late agriculture expert, Norman Borlaug, who passed away last September. He truly and deservedly was the Father of the Green Revolution, thanks to his strenuous efforts in combating poverty.

Ladies and gentlemen

No sooner had the world breathed again after the impact of 9/11 abated and after venom-spreading war mongers had gone and a new US administration upholding satisfactory human principles took office, than the financial crisis set in, overwhelming many economies and curtailing the flow of development aid to poorer categories.

Owing to all that, each and every one us, in their respective fields, are expected to prudently read the map of international development, so as to enable our societies to redress the repercussions of the crisis, while taking advantage of the positive benefits of globalization and the political upheavals that ensued the shifting of the (new conservatives) as well as the reconciliatory orientation announced by President Obama, in relation to the Islamic world.

People in our region looked forward to key developments to match the international détente. However, what is currently taking place is a huge disappointment. The just and peaceful settlement of the Palestinian cause remains a fair-fetched fantasy, because Israel was able to dwarf that hope, having imposed normalization of relation, against a background of a shameful Palestinian conflict and in the absence of a true Arab Islamic role. Can we expect Turkey, given its history, regional presence and acceptance from parties to the crisis, to play a role in redirecting the peace process and intercepting our region from going downhill, should despair take charge?
Humanity is in desperate need of initiatives that make life more secure and more peaceful, and of a rational exploitation of resources. There is nothing worse than man losing hope in a better tomorrow. There is nothing crueler than watching chances of a secure life slip away.

Finally, we pray to God that He would make a success of all those endeavors targeting man’s welfare everywhere, and to thwart all evil attempts wherever they may be. May Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon you.

The Turkish president's speech

We are proud and privileged to be hosting the 2009 Awards Ceremony of AGFUND.
This year’s topic of the annual awards is “Prevention of Eye Disorders”. AGFUND not only brings important, however neglected issue that has a direct impact on the quality of life, but also develops and implements projects that may be a solution to this problem. It’s a great honour to host this awards ceremony of a respected organization like AGFUND under my auspices. Because of my busy schedule I was not able to be with you on this day. Turkey continues its significant activities in the alleviation of the poor and maintaining a just distribution of incomes in line with the UN Millennium Development Goals.

The amount of development aids provided for developing countries by Turkey has reached 5.3 billion dollars in the last four years. Turkey ranks 19th among the OECD countries that contribute to such aid programmes.
In this context, my strong belief is that joint activities between TIKA (Turkish Directorate for Cooperation and Development) that implement Turkey’s official development aid programmes and AGFUND.

I want also like to underline that Turkish health sector ranks among the first countries around the world with its quality, trustworthiness and understanding of services. Now Turkey has become an international center for health services where foreign patients visit for treatment and operation as well as benefiting from thermal facilities. In parallel to these developments, treatment of visual diseases as the main theme of today’s ceremony has made great progress in our country. A number of significant health centers are in operation in many of our cities.
Taking this opportunity to this meaningful awards ceremony, I would like to extend my thanks in your presence to all who have contributed to and made this event possible, in particular His Royal Highness Prince Talal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, President of the Arab – Gulf Programme for UN Development Organizations (AGFUND). I would also like to congratulate the winners of the prizes who have deserved them for their important contributions to the field of eye health.