Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif landed in Riyadh on Monday for a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia to attend the Saudi Future Investment Initiative Summit, often referred to as ‘Davos in the Desert’, and hold consultations with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
PM Shehbaz was received by Riyadh Governor Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud at the airport. The premier is accompanied by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and other officials.
Prior to his departure, a statement by the Foreign Office said PM Shehbaz’s official trip to Riyadh was scheduled following an invitation by Prince Salman.
During his stay in Riyadh, PM Shehbaz would hold consultations with the Saudi crown prince to review the longstanding fraternal relations, with a view to further strengthening the multifaceted cooperation, especially in the economic field, the FO statement said. It added that the premier would also attend the Saudi Future Investment Initiative Summit, an annual feature since 2017.
Confirming his attendance at the summit, the PM tweeted: “The present state of the global economy needs new thinking and bold vision to overcome the irritants and forge new paths.
“There are serious concerns about the threat of global recession hitting the economies. The pandemic and climate-induced disasters have already put immense strains on developing countries. High time the world explored solutions to the deepening challenges through candid dialogue.”
The conference is hosted by the Future Investment Initiative Institute which, though not officially associated with the Saudi government, operates under the patronage of Prince Salman.
