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France's message to Davos: do your part to fight terrorism
French President Francois Hollande arrives at the Congress Hall of the World Economic Forum venue in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos, January 23, 2015. PHOTO BY REUTERS/Ruben Sprich
23/01/2015
DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - The world's biggest businesses must do their part to fight terrorism by taking action against trafficking and money laundering, French President Francois Hollande said when arriving at the World Economic Forum in Davoson Friday.
Two weeks after the attacks that saw 17 killed by Islamist gunmen in Paris, Hollande told reporters of his message to business leaders: "I will tell big corporates, including financial ones, that they must live up to their responsibilities," he said.
Hollande said companies must "fight against all kinds of trafficking, against tax havens and against illegal financial flows. This is to be up to the task of fighting terrorism."
In the first appearance by a French Socialist president in Davos, Hollande welcomed the European Central Bank's decision to embark on a massive bond-buying plan, saying that governments and corporates must also act to boost growth.
The ECB's decision "shouldn’t stop us from carrying out reforms," he told reporters ahead of a speech at the Davos forum.
"We must speed up (reforms) … this is what France will do," Hollande said, adding: "big corporates must also make the choices that correspond to our common interests."
Hollande, who will host a global environment conference at the end of the year, also urged business leaders to act to tackle climate change, saying this was essential for growth.
(Reporting by Alex Smith; Writing by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Andrew Callus)
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