ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will be among the 40 heads of state and government who will attend the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum opening in Davos on Jan 21.

The new global context to be discussed by the Forum consists of 10 challenges affecting the world today, including environment and resource scarcity; employment skills and human capital; gender parity; long-term investing, infrastructure and development, food security and agriculture; international trade and investment, future of the internet; global crime and anti-corruption, social inclusion; and future of financial system.

Current affairs such as geo-political conflicts, pandemics, diverging growth and the new energy context are on the agenda as well.

According to the Forum secretariat, other leaders who have confirmed their participation are Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Tunisia President Beji Caïd Essebsi, French President Francois Hollande, Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, US Secretary of State John Kerry, Italian Premier Matteo Renzi, President of Swiss Confederation Simonetta Sommaruga and South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma.

Participants also include over 1,500 business leaders from the Forum’s 1,000-member companies, 300 public figures as well as recognised leaders from other Forum’s communities. Religious and cultural leaders and academia will also participate in the four-day summit.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2015

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