Former President Jerry John Rawlings arrived in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday to participate in a high-level public-private sector conference on counter-piracy.

The two-day conference hosted by the Government of the UAE and global ports operator, DP World, is on the theme, “A Regional Response to Maritime Piracy: Enhancing Public Private Partnerships and Strengthening Global Engagement.”

A statement issued in Accra said the conference sought to provide a platform for various international and regional initiatives in the counter-piracy field, while augmenting existing ones.

President Rawlings, who is African Union High Representative for Somalia, is leading the African Union delegation to the conference.

The statement said former President Rawlings would deliver a keynote address at the opening ceremony on the current situation in Somalia.

He would on Thursday address a panel discussion on the humanitarian situation in Somalia and would discuss and examine the humanitarian situation in that country, as well as how public-private responses could help rebuild Somalia to end the need for piracy.

Leading speakers at the conference include Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan, UAE Foreign Minister, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chairman of DP World, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, President of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, UK Minister for Africa, Henry Bellingham and Augustine Mahiga, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General to Somalia.**