Annan arrives in Paris for high-level Global Compact meeting on preventing corruption

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan travelled today to Paris, where he will take part in an international policy dialogue as part of the Global Compact - an initiative he pioneered to foster corporate adherence to labour, environment and human rights standards.

The forum, on the topic of "Transparency and the Fight against Corruption," began today with the participation of nearly 150 experts representing business, government, civil society, academia and the UN.

Participants are exploring a proposal to add a principle against corruption to the framework of the Global Compact ahead of a Global Compact Leaders Summit scheduled for June.

Tomorrow evening, the Secretary-General and President Jacques Chirac are scheduled to preside over the introduction of the Global Compact Network France, which includes more than 230 leading French companies committed to advancing the Global Compact's nine core principles.

"French companies are among the most active participants in the Global Compact," said Georg Kell, who heads the initiative. "The Global Compact Network France will play an extremely important role in advancing learning, dialogue and projects in France and beyond."

Earlier today, before arriving in France, the Secretary-General addressed the Stockholm International Forum in Sweden. He later met with the former chief UN weapons inspector in Iraq, Hans Blix. Other meetings on his programme included talks with Vidar Helgesen, Norway's State Secretary for Foreign Affairs.