Some 30 World Leaders To Attend Second Paris Peace Forum - President

This year's Paris Peace Forum will be attended by some 30 heads of state and government, Pascal Lamy, the president of the event, said at a press briefing on Tuesday

PARIS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th October, 2019) This year's Paris Peace Forum will be attended by some 30 heads of state and government, Pascal Lamy, the president of the event, said at a press briefing on Tuesday.

The second edition of the two-day forum, which opens on November 12, will be addressed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who will take on issues of global governance.

Macron launched the event last year to mark the centennial anniversary of the end of World War One. This year's edition will tackle a range of issues from migration and climate change to ways of averting a war in the middle East.

The forum's director general, Justin Vaisse, said many world leaders were invited but presidents of Turkey and the United States refused to attend.

Turkey will send a project representative.

Vaisse explained the US absence by its indifference to multilateral action under the administration of US President Donald Trump. Americans are expected to attend unofficially.

Russia may send in its foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, he added, although no final decision on his presence at the forum has been made.

The forum will debate a selection of 120 innovative projects pitched by governments, nonprofits and companies. Ten initiatives will be picked to receive funding throughout the year.