- High-level delegation, including FM Ishaq Dar, FinMin Muhammad Aurangzeb accompanying premier
- Riyadh region Deputy Governor, Pakistan’s Ambassador receive PM at Riyadh Royal Airport
ISLAMABAD/RIYADH: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday arrived in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to participate in the two-day special meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) on ‘Global Collaboration, Growth, and Energy for Development’, being held from Sunday (tomorrow).
Deputy Governor of the Riyadh region Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Bin Abdul Aziz, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and embassy staff received the prime minister and his delegation at the Riyadh Royal Airport.
The prime minister was invited to attend the WEF meeting by Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and WEF Founder and Executive Chairman Professor Klaus Schwab.
“The Prime Minister is accompanied by a high level delegation including Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. The prime minister and the ministers will participate in WEF discussions on issues related to trade and investment measures, new investment frameworks, restructuring of supply chains, sustainable growth, and the energy landscape,” Foreign Office Spokesperson said in a press release.
The high level participation in the Forum will afford an important opportunity to present Pakistan’s priorities specifically in global health architecture, inclusive growth, revitalizing regional collaboration and the need for striking a balance between promoting growth and energy consumption.
On the margins of the main event, the prime minister and his delegation will hold bilateral meetings with world leaders, including the Saudi leadership, heads of international organizations, and other prominent figures participating in the event.
About 1,000 leaders from business, government, and academia will participate in the Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth, and Energy for Development, WEF said in a press statement.
The meeting will focus on new pathways to reinvigorate growth globally amid the challenges posed by an increasingly fragmented geopolitical and economic environment. It will revolve around three themes: revitalizing global collaboration; a compact for inclusive growth; and catalyzing action on energy for development, it was added.
The event bridges the growing North-South divide, which has further widened on issues such as emerging economic policies, the energy transition, and geopolitical shocks.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed for Saudi Arabia along with his delegation to attend a World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting.
The diplomatic talks will center around trade and investment measures, new investment frameworks, restructuring of supply chains, sustainable growth, and the energy landscape.
The forum will highlight Pakistan’s crucial priorities in global health architecture, inclusive growth, revitalizing regional collaboration, and the need to balance promoting growth and energy consumption.
The prime minister will hold bilateral meetings with world leaders and officials participating in the event.
This visit marks Shehbaz’s second to Saudi Arabia as PM this month.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Shehbaz met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and discussed bilateral relations and matters of mutual interest, the Prime Minister’s Office Media Wing and the Saudi media reported.
Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his delegation for an Iftar gathering at his Al-Safa Palace in Makkah, according to a report in the Saudi media.
The Prime Minister’s Office said in its handout that after the Iftar meal, the prime minister and the Saudi crown prince sat for a one-on-one meeting. It added that Prime Minister Shahbaz conveyed his best wishes for the health and well-being of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman.
A week later, a high-level Saudi delegation, led by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, arrived in Pakistan as part of efforts by Pakistan to attract investment from Riyadh.
“The visit is aimed at lending positive impetus to enhanced bilateral cooperation and mutually rewarding economic partnership,” said readout of the Foreign Office. It further read that the visit took place essentially to expedite the follow-up on the understanding reached between Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and the Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, during their recent meeting in Makkah to enhance bilateral economic cooperation.
