The Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister, the Hon. Tan Sri Bernard Dompok arrived in Paris on Wednesday, 12 September 2012 for an eight-day palm oil promotion mission to France from 12 to 16 September 2012.
2. The Hon. Tan Sri Bernard Dompok who was accompanied by his wife YBhg. Puan Sri Daniah Alip; Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) chairman Datuk Lee Yeow Chor; MPOC chief executive officer Tan Sri Dr Yusof Basiron and Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) Director General Datuk Dr Choo Yuen May were received on arrival at Charles de Gaulle airport by H.E. Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Zainal, Ambassador of Malaysia to France and wife YBhg Puan Sri Dato’ Rositah Md Mawi.
2. On Thursday 13 September, the Honorable Minister called upon the French Minister for Agriculture, Agrifood and Forests Mr. Stéphane Le Foll in his office at rue de Varenne in Paris. On the same day, the Hon.Minister also met with Mr. Paul Jean-Ortiz, Special Diplomacy Advisor to President François Hollande and Mr. Christian Lechervy, Special Advisor to the President in charge of Strategic Affairs and Asia at the Elysée Presidential Palace.
3. The Honourable Minister also attended a roundtable meeting with French business leaders, government officials and media representatives to communicate the important role that palm oil plays in the French diet. Following an advertising campaign by French retailer Système U, that misrepresented the sustainability and health benefits of palm oil, a demonstration was made by palm oil producers in Cote d’Ivoire to complaint for the false advertising. In this regard, the Honorable Minister had expressed to the French on Malaysia’s concerns with the inaccurate claims being made against palm oil.
4. During the meeting with the French media, the Minister also explained Malaysia’s long-standing commitment to sustainable development, noting that the palm oil industry is a key contributor to reduced pressure on land in the country. He added that Malaysia also remains committed to its pledge at the 1992 Rio Summit to conserve 50 percent of the nation’s forest cover, exceeding conservation rates in Europe. Furthermore, Malaysia and its palm oil industry are actively participating in the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil, a multi-stakeholder forum to demonstrate consumers that palm oil is being produced sustainably. “We want to increase our exports to France certified oils,” the Minister said in Paris.
5. Meanwhile, in a separate spouse program, Puan Sri Daniah Alip wife of the Hon. Minister accompanied by Puan Sri Dato’ Rositah Md Mawi, wife of the Ambassador of Malaysia to France, visited the Louis Vuitton Family House (Maison de Famille Louis Vuitton) at Asnières, in the Paris suburb. The house, bought by Louis Vuitton more than 150 years ago, has been kept as a dreamy, 19th century ‘art nouveau’ residence with the Louis Vuitton family memories. In 1835, after moving to Paris, Louis Vuitton continued his career as trunk-maker for the Empress Eugenie de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III. Thus one can also discover the workshop of how the timeless and eternal LV trunks are made in the house.
6. The next day, YBhg Puan Sri Daniah Alip visited the Perce-Neige Spastics Home, an association created in 1966 to help children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The association, founded by French actor Lino Ventura, has to this date more than 40 homes all over France to receive and care people with intellectual and multiple disabilities. After the visit to the Spastics Home, YBhg Puan Sri Daniah Alip met with members of the Perwakilan Paris Ladies Association at a boat cruise lunch along the Seine river hosted by Perwakilan President YBhg.Puan Puan Sri Dato’ Rositah Md Mawi.
7. The Minister and delegation left Paris for Romania on Sunday, 16 September 2012.
Embassy of Malaysia
19 September 2012