Progress, Possibility at PNB Summit

Muhtar Kent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company
Partners for a New Beginning Summit
Washington, D.C.
May 31, 2011

Good afternoon and thank you. I want you to know, right from the start, how delighted I am to be here with you this afternoon.

We have here, in all of you, the very heart and soul of Partners for a New Beginning. Each and every day, you are on the ground, in your home countries, working to build greater understanding and a better tomorrow. And you are making a profound difference, make no mistake about it.

On behalf of Coca-Cola and Partners for a New Beginning, I want to begin by saying thanks.

Today, PNB is working, thanks to you. New relationships are growing, thanks to you. New partnerships are emerging, thanks to you. And lives are being improved, thanks to you.

Good intentions are just a starting point... Solid plans are great but they can't execute themselves... Making real progress takes people like you... leaders committed to moving beyond intentions to achievement.

Around the world, you are taking the initiative and making a real difference in your home countries and communities. You are the drivers and change agents.

The American business community and our friends in the diplomatic and NGO circles - we're here to encourage and empower you.

And let me just add this about the timing: The work you're doing... the work we're doing together... has never been more vital. Never in history has there been a greater need for partnership and friendship between the United States and Muslim communities worldwide.

While this need has existed for many years, it has grown over the last decade. And, with all that's been happening in the Middle East and beyond in recent months, the need for your good work has intensified yet again.

Two years ago, "a new beginning" was a promising phrase... a hope expressed by President Obama in his historic address at Cairo University.

One year ago, Partners for a New Beginning was a brand new initiative... an organization in its infancy.

And now, here we are, at the very first PNB summit.

A lot has happened over the past year... You have made a strong start... And we have, together, started something we can be proud of.

We've had a great first day here in Washington. We've heard from many of you about your progress and your priorities... We've had a very promising discussion of women's economic empowerment... We've talked about efforts to provide clean drinking water to more people all around the world... And there have been lively discussions around everything from leveraging international finance tools to encouraging entrepreneurship.

In our sessions thus far, your active participation has made all the difference.

So, I want to encourage you: Continue to participate and drive the conversation. This is your meeting, after all. And you have very valuable expertise and best practices to share with each other.

Before taking your questions, I want to update you briefly on some of the initiatives we now have underway in Muslim communities around the world. Initiatives that are designed to create shared value for our communities... and for Coca-Cola.

Several of these efforts involve women's economic empowerment. In Egypt, for example, we're working with the Egypt Food Bank to develop 100 villages by 2020. This will include infrastructure investments and micro-financing for women entrepreneurs.

We're also partnering with our U.S. Embassy in Egypt to provide scholarships for Egyptian high school students to study science at Johns Hopkins University. Students submitted ideas about how to rebuild Egypt on our Coca-Cola Egypt Facebook page. The winners will spend one month at Johns Hopkins this summer with other students from around the U.S. and the world.

In Turkey, we are exploring the creation of The Women Entrepreneurs Program in partnership with the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges. This initiative would provide grants to support small business development, training and mentoring. In addition, our women leaders in Turkey would provide coaching support to entrepreneurs.

In Pakistan, we're now working with local agencies to build five schools in flood-hit areas of Punjab. We're also supporting 500 farmers and their families in these ravaged areas. As part of this effort, we're providing temporary employment and helping rebuild agricultural facilities. Additionally, we are expanding our efforts to provide economic support to women in the Swat Valley region.

In Indonesia, we're working with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on a proposal to create public libraries in 40 communities. This will complement a network of learning centers our foundation has already established. If approved, this effort will also equip the new libraries with computers and internet access, and will provide technology training for librarians.

Also, just a few months ago, Secretary Clinton joined me as Coca-Cola announced that we would dedicate $6 million of our overall commitment to the Replenish Africa Initiative to water and sanitation projects specifically aimed at improving the lives of women across Africa, including Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.

As I wrap up, I want you to know that I believe "Partners for a New Beginning" has the potential to be a transformative program... Transformative in strengthening relations between the U.S. and the Muslim world... And transformative in providing sustainable economic, social and environmental benefits for Muslim communities.

Across the Muslim world, we believe this Golden Triangle of partnership between business, government and civil society is the right path and the sustainable path.

As John D. Rockefeller once said, "A friendship founded on business is a good deal better than a business founded on friendship." I truly believe nothing builds friends faster than jobs and economic opportunity. That's why we are honored to lend our support to this critically important initiative.

We look forward to our continued partnership with all of you - and we wish you every success as you continue to move this vital effort forward in the year ahead. Now more than ever, the world needs the work you're doing.

Thank you very much!