ZURICH: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived here on Monday to participate in the 47th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) which is aimed at fostering greater social inclusion and human development.

Accompanied by Ms Kulsoom Nawaz and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi, the prime minister was received at the Zurich airport by Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mission to Geneva Tehmina Janjua and Swiss officials.

Mr Sharif is here on the invitation of WEF Executive Chairman Prof Klaus Schwab. He will present Pakistan’s case of economic success and business and investment opportunities, besides attracting foreign direct investment by inviting leading firms to invest in the country.

The theme for this year’s meeting is ‘Responsive and responsible leadership’, which will focus on critical leadership challenges for 2017 — revitalising the global economy, reforming capitalism and preparing for the fourth industrial revolution.

Around 3,000 leaders from governments, businesses and civil society will gather at the meeting from Jan 17 to 20 in Davos-Klosters.

The participants include one-third from outside Europe and North America, while one-third will be representing the society outside of business and government.

The prime minister will meet Prof Schwab. His meetings with the prime ministers of Sweden, Nor­way and Sri Lanka and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands are also expected.

He will meet the new UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Swiss President Doris Leuthard.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, the prime minister will address about 60 business leaders on ‘Investing in Pakistan: the new reality’.

He will have a roundtable meeting to share with a select group of business leaders the significant economic changes taking place in the country and the immense investment and trade opportunities.

The WEF meeting will be opened by President Xi Jinping of China, who will be accompanied by the largest delegation of Chinese officials since the country first participated in the event 1979.

In keeping with the theme, over half of the programme’s 400 sessions will address strategies for fostering greater social inclusion and human development. Chief executive officers of over 1,000 companies will participate in the forum.

The co-chairs taking a principal role in shaping the discussion at the meeting are: Brian Moynihan, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Bank of America, (United States); Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, documentary filmmaker, SOC Films (Pakis­tan); Helle Thorning-Sch­midt, Chief Executive Offi­c­er, Save the Children Inter­national (United Kingdom); Frans van Houten, Presi­dent and CEO, Royal Philips (The Netherlands); and Meg Whitman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hewlett Packard Enter­prise, (US).

Minister of State for Info­r­mation Technology and Telecommunication Anusha Rahman Khan will also speak at the forum.

Minister of State for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar will speak on ‘Raising life expectancy and expectations’.

Published in Dawn January 17th, 2017