Tunis — President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali returned to Tunis after participating in the World Summit on Food Security and the World Food Situation in Rome.

The Head of State's participation enabled him to highlight Tunisia's approach and reformist policies which have placed the issue of food security at the forefront of its priorities and provided the necessary mechanisms and incentives to cope with it, especially as regards agricultural investment and scientific research and its utilisation for development ends.

The President of the Republic also stressed the need to take practical initiatives to fight against hunger and malnutrition in the world, reiterating Tunisia's strong will to boost international co-operation in this field and contribute, thanks to its experience, to achieving the objectives set by the international community, through international solidarity, to eradicate hunger and poverty.

As to First Lady Leila Ben Ali, she took part in Rome in the 2nd Summit of Non-Aligned Countries' First Ladies on " Food Security and Women's Access to Resources."

She emphasised, on the occasion, the leading role assumed by women in boosting development and fighting against hunger and malnutrition.

Mrs. Ben Ali reaffirmed, during the debate, the important role devolved upon Tunisian women in achieving food security, stressing the achievements carried out in Tunisia in matters of reinforcing women's rights and promoting women to the rank of partners, in addition to the sustained care taken of the education and training of women in general and rural women in particular , so as to entitle them to fully discharge their mission in the country's development process.

The First Lady highlighted, in this regard, the fundamental role of the principles of equality, justice and fair partnership between men and women in the achievement of progress and development.(TAP)