Riyadh: .Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met with World Economic Forum (WEF) President and CEO Børge Brende in Riyadh today on the sidelines of the 9th Future Investment Initiative (FII). The meeting was held at the WEF leadership’s request, in order to formally invite the Prime Minister to the Annual Meeting of the WEF at Davos in January next year.
The Prime Minister appreciated the ongoing robust engagement between Pakistan and WEF and reaffirmed Pakistan’s readiness to deepen its ties with the Forum’s global business and innovation network.
In response to the invitation for the 2026 WEF Annual meeting, the Prime Minister said that Pakistan would be well represented at Davos next year.
While exchanging views on Pakistan’s economy, the Prime Minister highlighted the government’s deep rooted structural economic reforms directed towards stabilization, fiscal discipline, investment, and digital transformation. He expressed satisfaction at the improved macro-economic indicators over the past 18 months. The focus would remain on export-led growth, public-private partnerships, and leveraging Pakistan’s large youth workforce and growing IT sector.
The Prime Minister welcomed WEF partnership on resilient food systems, vital for Pakistan’s agrarian economy, and emphasized the significance of peace as the path to prosperity.
He said Pakistan serves as a vital bridge connecting South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East.
WEF President Børge Brende thanked the Prime Minister for Pakistan’s active engagement with WEF and said that he looked forward to continued support from Pakistan in advancing a mutually beneficial partnership.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
