RIYADH: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is addressing a session on the global health agenda during the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) special meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia today.
During his two-day visit, PM Shehbaz, who arrived in the Kingdom’s capital on Saturday to attend the “Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development”, will also meet Emir of Kuwait Mashal Al Ahmed Al Jabr.
The premier, accompanied by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, is also expected to meet International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, wherein he would exchange views over the prospects and details of the new economic package being sought out by Pakistan.
The forum will provide a key opportunity for Islamabad to showcase its priorities specifically in global health architecture, inclusive growth, revitalising regional collaboration and the need for striking a balance between promoting growth and energy consumption.
The two-day event will see around 1,000 leaders coming together for “a comprehensive dialogue on leveraging global cooperation for economic development, promoting a global energy transition that underpins sustainable development and furthering technological advancement”.
Separately, the premier met Islamic Development Bank President Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser on the sidelines of the WEF event.
During the meeting, attended by Foreign Minister Dar, Finance Minister Aurangzeb and Information Minister Atta Tarar, both sides reviewed the progress on various ongoing IDB-funded projects in Pakistan and explored new opportunities for cooperation between Islamabad and the lender.
Appreciating IDB’s assistance to Islamabad with regard to the post-flood rehabilitation measures and acknowledging its role in providing assistance in partnership, reconstruction, and employment in the country, the premier reaffirmed the Special Investment Facilitation Council’s (SIFC) active role with regard to sourcing foreign investment in the country.
Meanwhile, terming Pakistan as an important founding member of the IDB, Sulaiman Al Jasser underscored Pakistan’s abundant natural and water resources along with the utility held by the country’s significant manpower which can be “fully benefitted” from.
PM Shehbaz is also expected to brush shoulders with technology mogul and Microsoft founder Bill Gates along with several Saudi ministers including that of finance, industry and investment.
‘Saudi Vision 2030 to guide Pak-Saudi relations’
A day earlier, Advisor at the Royal Court and General Secretary of Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council Mohammed bin Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri Saturday told PM Shehbaz Sharif the bilateral economic relations should move forward in the backdrop of Saudi Vision 2030.”
“We want the economic relations of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia should move forward in the backdrop of Saudi Vision 2030,” Al-Tuwaijri said to PM Shehbaz in Riyadh.
During the meeting, both sides expressed exceptional warmth for further promoting economic relations between the two countries and reviewed the progress on the Saudi investment in Pakistan, during the visit of the delegation led by the Saudi foreign minister to Pakistan.
Acknowledging the measures taken by Islamabad to prioritise Saudi investments, Al-Tuwaijri said a delegation comprising the Saudi business community and investors would soon visit Pakistan.
Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz, who was accompanied by several cabinet ministers, underscored Islamabad’s willingness to benefit from the successful reform policy of Saudi Arabia to modernise the governance structure of Pakistan.
“We are moving with lightning speed after the progress made during the visit of the Saudi delegation to Pakistan,” he said while highlighting the progress regarding investment in different sectors in Pakistan by Saudi Arabia.
