Prime Minister Oli leaving for Switzerland today
KATHMANDU, Jan 20: Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli is leaving for Switzerland later today to participate in the 49th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), which will begin from January 22 to 25 in Davos.
The prime minister will be departing at 8 pm in the evening. He will be accompanied a delegation consisting of his wife Radhika Shakya, Foreign Affairs Minister Pradeep Gyawali, Minister for Finance Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi, the PM’s chief political advisor Bishnu Rimal and foreign affairs advisor Dr Rajan Bhattarai and other high-ranking officials.
This is the first occasion that Nepal’s head of government is addressing the WEF. The economic forum will be attended by the heads of government from across the globe.
“Political stability has been established in Nepal after years of conflict, transition and instability. It is why Nepal is being invited for the first time in the Forum,” Dr Bhattarai told Reporters Club Nepal.
He added that the visit will be fruitful in attracting more foreign investments in Nepal which will help accelerate in country’s development.
This year’s WEF Annual Meeting will be held on the theme of ‘Globalization 4.0: Shaping a Global Architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution’.
The Prime Minister will address two separate sessions on ‘Strategic Outlook on South Asia’ and ‘Shaping the Future of Democracy’ to be held on 22 and 23 January respectively. He will also address the Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders on the theme of ‘The End of Global Trade as We Know It?’ on 23 January, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He will hold meetings with political as well as business leaders during the visit.
PM Oli and his delegation will return to Kathmandu on January 26.