The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Zurich

Chief Advisor Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed arrived here Wednesday afternoon to attend the World Economic Forum's annual meeting, which is taking up important global issues for an appraisal.

The 3-day event began in Davos today, with a galaxy of heads of government, top financiers, bankers, leaders of commerce and industry, academics, thinkers, politicians and statesmen attending.

This is for the first time that Bangladesh is participating at the head-of-government-level famous annual gathering.

The participation of Chief Advisor Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed in the World Economic Forum is likely to greatly enhance the international image of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh will take the advantage of telling the global audience a story of positive social transformation and development reforms and innovative changes through ideas that have evolved domestically.

Dr. Ahmed will take part in a plenary discussion at the Davos Congress Centre tomorrow (January 24) on "the quest for peace and stability" along with some key leaders of South and Central Asia.

He will hold meetings with European, American and Asian political and business leaders, as well as with leaders of some fellow Least Developed Countries (LDCs), mainly from Asia.

Bangladesh is currently the Chair of the LDCs and Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed is expected to use this occasion to press for duty-and quota-free access of LDC products to world markets.

He will also meet with international media personalities and host working lunches and breakfasts for potential investors in Bangladesh.

Foreign Advisor Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said Davos is a unique event and not a structured international multilateral conference like the United Nations General Assembly.

He said participants are drawn from all walks of social, economic and political life, and interact with one another largely informally. "Only those who are seen as key global players are present," he added.

The Chief Advisor, in his various discussions and meetings, will focus on such issues as institutional reforms for sustainable democracy, the fight against corruption, the requirement of peace to achieve development, climate change and its impact on developing countries and food security.

He would also stress the need for greater market access for LDC products, the importance of education and women's empowerment in social change and on the special responsibility of the developed countries towards those who are less developed.

The head of caretaker government will also highlight Bangladesh's responsible international role as a major UN peacekeeper in stabilizing strife-torn parts of the world, particularly Africa.

The Chief Adviser will attend meetings on January 24 and 25.

On his arrival, Bangladesh Ambassador to Geneva Debapriya Bhattachariya received him at the Zurich International Airport at about 1pm (local time).