The activities of the World Economic Forum were launched today, Sunday, in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, under the slogan ‘International Cooperation, Growth, and Energy for Development’ with the participation of more than a thousand people, including heads of state, senior officials and international experts, from the governmental and private sectors, to discuss various economic issues and global developments.
The two-day meeting focuses on three main axes: international cooperation, growth and energy. It aims to find common ground between various parties to create positive global impacts, through dialogues and discussion sessions focused on enhancing international cooperation and stimulating joint efforts to create sustainable solutions.
The Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning, Faisal bin Fadel Al-Ibrahim, said in his speech during the launch of the forum’s activities that Riyadh’s hosting of the special meeting of the World Economic Forum is an extension of the partnership between the Kingdom and the foru
m, which aims to enhance the prospects for international cooperation and move towards a more sustainable and prosperous world for all.
He added that the forum pushes global efforts towards sustainable economic development, achieving developmental integration, keeping pace with economic changes and opening new horizons for cooperation and joint development between societies in light of the Kingdom’s constant endeavor to enhance international cooperation and economic growth of societies in accordance with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
The Saudi Minister pointed out that Riyadh’s hosting of the global event comes from its position as a pivotal location, as the capital of one of the world’s largest economies, in addition to its strategic location that connects 3 continents, which enables it to work closely with developed and emerging markets.
For his part, President of the World Economic Forum Borghi Brende stressed that there is an urgent need not only to identify areas but also to strengthen new and influential
partnerships at a time when divisions between advanced and emerging economies are increasing.
Burgi pointed out the importance of the forum in pushing global efforts towards sustainable economic development, achieving developmental integration, keeping pace with economic changes, opening new horizons for cooperation and joint development between societies, enhancing cooperation between countries, and helping to achieve their long-term goals in the fields of trade and energy.
He stressed that this event bridges the growing gap between North and South, which has widened further on issues such as emerging economic policies, energy transition, and geopolitical shocks.
The meeting program includes a variety of pressing global issues, most notably geopolitical turmoil, especially the war in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine, and identifying and designing new types of economic growth and creating job opportunities to improve living standards globally and promote a just and sustainable energy transition.
On the sideline
s of the forum, Saudi Arabia is hosting a series of exhibitions and accompanying side events to highlight the latest trends and developments in a number of important topics, including sustainability, innovation, and culture.
The World Economic Forum is an annual gathering held in the winter to bring together international politicians and economists, who represent the cross-border elite, to discuss political and economic issues.
Iraq is participating in the meetings of the World Economic Forum with a delegation headed by Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, where it is expected that a series of meetings will be held on the sidelines of the forum with a number of leaders of countries, and with the heads and representatives of major international companies specialized in the field of energy and digital technology.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency