ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his delegation will kick off their World Economic Forum engagements in Riyadh today, Sunday, as they gear up to present Pakistan’s priorities on key issues such as global health, energy and economic growth, his office said.
Sharif arrived in Riyadh on Saturday to attend a two-day WEF meeting on global collaboration, growth and energy, which will be held in the Saudi capital from April 28-29.
The prime minister was extended an invitation to attend the meeting by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Professor Klaus Schwab, the WEF executive chairman.
“PM Shehbaz Sharif and his delegation will present Pakistan’s priorities in global health, fintech, climate change, inclusive energy and rejuvenating growth,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement on social media platform X.
It added Sharif would meet the Saudi leadership, world leaders, heads of international organizations and prominent figures during his stay in the country.
“Look forward to important discussions on pressing challenges of our times,” the Pakistani prime minister posted from his X account separately on Sunday.
Prior to Sharif’s departure, the PM Office said he would be accompanied by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb.
It said Sharif’s participation in the forum will afford Pakistan an opportunity to highlight its priorities in global health architecture, inclusive growth, revitalizing regional collaboration, and the need for striking a balance between promoting growth and energy consumption.
Sharif met Adviser at the Royal Court of Saudi Arabia and General Secretary of Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council Mohammed bin Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri on Saturday to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries.
The two sides reviewed the progress on the Saudi investment in Pakistan, which came under discussion during the visit of the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan recently to Pakistan.
“Al-Tuwaijri and his delegation expressed deep interest in the Saudi investment by the Saudi government and companies in Pakistan,” the state-run APP said.
The prime minister will also attend the 15th session of the Islamic Summit Conference organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on May 4-5 in the Gambian capital of Banjul to discuss a variety of regional and global issues, including Palestine, Islamophobia, climate change and the status of minorities, the Pakistani state-run APP news agency reported.
The session will be held under the slogan “Enhancing Unity and Solidarity through Dialogue for Sustainable Development,” according to a press release issued by the OIC General Secretariat.
The Islamic Summit is a principal organ of the OIC focused on the formulation, development, and implementation of decisions made by 57 member states. It is attended by concerned heads of state such as prime ministers, presidents, emirs and other equivalent heads.