Accra, Sept. 28, GNA - Former President Jerry John Rawlings and his wife Nana Konadu left Accra on Monday for Istanbul, Turkey, to participate in the Global Economic Symposium, which has begun in the Turkish capital, according to a statement from the office of the former president.

The Global Economic Symposium (GES) assembles some of the world's prominent experts from politics, business, academia, and civil society to address important global problems. The statement said President Rawlings had been invited to join the GES and participate in the Working Group as well as the panel on "Building Markets and States".

Former President Rawlings is expected to deliver a paper titled: "Localise Democracy to Strengthen Moral Fibre for Development". This unique working group on state building charges six important world leaders from diverse backgrounds and geographic areas to address in depth the special challenges of economic and political development in fragile states. "Their task is not only to generate visions and solutions, but also to take the next steps towards achieving concrete results," the statement said.

It said the working group would meet several times in private sessions during the two days of the symposium and present its conclusions in an open GES panel discussion. The goal of the working group is to develop a new perspective on how the international community might assist struggling countries and to propose practical projects that can be implemented by the committee in conjunction with the GES team and network to meet the needs of these countries. The statement said Nana Konadu would also be participating in the symposium and would speak on the topic, "Women as a Foundation for Rural Development". The policy group on the subject will discuss how to empower women financially, how to eliminate illiteracy among women, and how to facilitate knowledge transfers to women.