Key Points
- Shehbaz Sharif to attend the World Economic Forum annual meeting from January 20 to 22
- High-level delegation includes the deputy prime minister, key federal ministers and senior officials.
- Officials say meetings with several world leaders are expected on the sidelines of Davos.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has departed for Davos to lead Pakistan’s delegation to the World Economic Forum annual meeting, where Islamabad is set to press its case for economic stabilisation, renewed investment and deeper engagement with global powers amid a fractured international order.
The prime minister’s visit, from January 20 to 22, is expected to feature a packed schedule of high-level engagements, including interactions with world leaders, heads of international organisations and global business executives, as Pakistan looks to reposition itself as a viable destination for trade and investment while projecting its views on regional and global security challenges.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office media wing, the Premier is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema, Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi, and other senior officials.
A Foreign Office spokesperson stated that the Prime Minister will participate in the WEF annual meetings being held in Davos-Klosters from January 20 to 22, leading a high-level delegation.
“The visit will include multiple important and substantive engagements, including participation in the Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders session titled ‘Restoring a Spirit of Dialogue in a Divided World’,” the FO said.
The Prime Minister will also host and chair a Pakistan-specific high-level business roundtable, jointly organised by Pakistan and the World Economic Forum, bringing together senior executives of leading global companies interested in exploring new investment opportunities or expanding their existing footprint in Pakistan.
Officials said the Prime Minister is expected to hold bilateral meetings with world leaders, heads of international organisations and prominent business figures during the visit.
Asked about the possibility of interactions with major global leaders on key international issues, an official familiar with the visit said that “several informal and bilateral engagements are expected on the sidelines, in line with the forum’s tradition of facilitating leader-level dialogue”.
Earlier Pakistani reported that the Prime Minister’s meeting with the US President Donald Trump is also on the cards.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will present Pakistan’s perspective on global and regional peace and development, and highlight the government’s vision and progress in stabilising the economy, expanding trade and attracting investment, the Foreign Office said.
The World Economic Forum annual meeting brings together political leaders, business executives, heads of international organisations and civil society representatives to deliberate on contemporary geopolitical, economic, social and environmental challenges facing the world.
