Paris, Nov 12 (IANS): The fifth edition of the Paris Peace Forum kicked off, with the theme of "Riding out the multicrisis".

The Forum is set to focus on how to overcome the socio-economic impact of multiple crises, develop international cooperation on major issues, support multilateralism and improve global cooperation mechanisms.

During talks held on Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron and Argentine President Alberto Fernandez called for a negotiated solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Xinhua news agency reported.

Fernandez said that the conflict has a global impact, not only causing an energy crisis in Europe, but also threatening the food security of countries in the southern hemisphere.

He called for immediate negotiations that could lead to a peaceful end to the conflict.

During the two-day forum, participants including heads of international organisations, NGOs, multinational companies and financial institutions will exchange views on global governance.

Topics will include the impact of multiple crises on people, rethinking globalisation, promoting climate and environmental solutions, and building a more ethical and safe digital world.

The Paris Peace Forum, initiated by Macron to promote multilateral cooperation and address global challenges, had its first edition in 2018.