Davos an opportunity to encourage foreign investment: minister
The forthcoming annual meeting of the World Economic Forum or WEF in Davos will help Bangladesh encourage multinational companies and foreign investors to invest in the country, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said yesterday.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be the first elected Bangladeshi leader to attend the prestigious forum in Davos-Klosters where she will highlight Bangladesh's achievements, and the investment possibilities to woo foreign investors,” Ali said.
He spoke while addressing a press meet on WEF at the foreign ministry in Dhaka.
Ali said the prime minister would once again present Bangladesh as a modern, open, democratic and responsible state at the global forum which will begin on January 17 in Switzerland.
Hasina will leave Dhaka for Switzerland tonight and return on January 21 after taking part in the sessions related to water, economy, sustainable development, regional cooperation, climate change, ICT and women's empowerment and leadership.
He said the special invitation extended to the prime minister by WEF's Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab reflects Bangladesh's strong role in global affairs and strong position on the world map as well.
Earlier, Fakhruddin Ahmed, the chief adviser to the last military-backed caretaker government, attended the forum from Bangladesh.
Ali said the WEF meeting in Switzerland remains the foremost creative force for engaging the world's top leaders in collaborative activities to shape the global, regional and industry agendas at the beginning of each year.The newly elected UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres would also attend the meeting. The foreign minister and state minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak would be among the PM's entourage.
Meanwhile, in reply to a question about the planned visit of Hasina to India, the foreign minister said a new date for her India visit has not yet been finalised.
Terming the visit “an important and sensitive” one, he asked all to wait as they would make the official announcement at an appropriate time.
However, the foreign ministry officials indicated that the visit will likely take place in the first half of February. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam was also present.
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