Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus continued his broader engagement with global leaders at the 2025 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, with over a dozen engagements planned for Thursday (23 January), the third day since his arrival in the Swiss city on 21 January.
The forum has brought together governments, businesses, and civil society members to improve the state of the world.
Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy on International Affairs Lutfey Siddiqi, SDGs affairs principal coordinator (senior secretary) Lamiya Morshed, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, Bangladesh's Permanent Representative in Geneva Ambassador Tareq Md Ariful Islam, and Secretary (west) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs M Riaz Hamidullah, among others, are accompanying the chief adviser at the WEF.
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, CEO of DP World; Sir Nick Clegg, president, global affairs of Meta Platforms Inc; Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of Amnesty International; and Robert Maersk Uggla, chair of AP Moller–Maersk, in addition to top executives of global organisations, are likely to meet the chief adviser on Thursday, chief adviser’s deputy press secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder told UNB.
Thomas Eymond-Laritaz, founder and CEO of HIGHGATE (Strategic Advisory Firm), Hugh Evans, CEO of Global Citizens, and Prof Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, are also scheduled to meet the chief adviser, Azad said.
Global media outlets, including Reuters, Financial Times, and CNBC International anchor Tania Bryer, will interview the chief adviser.
Over 50 heads of state and government, including Nobel Laureate Dr Yunus, have gathered at the WEF, which is taking place from 20-25 January.
The summit is being held under the theme of “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age” and has welcomed close to 3,000 attendees from over 130 countries.
Other participating world leaders include US President Donald J Trump (via live video link); Javier Milei, president of Argentina; Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament; Karin Keller-Sutter, president of the Swiss Confederation; Nikol Pashinyan, prime minister of the Republic of Armenia; Ilham Aliyev, president of the Republic of Azerbaijan; Alexander De Croo, prime minister of Belgium; Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Mostafa Madbouli, prime minister of Egypt; Abdulatif Rashid, president of Iraq; Simon Harris, taoiseach of Ireland; Dick Schoof, prime minister of the Netherlands; Dina Ercilia Boluarte, president of Peru; Andrzej Duda, president of Poland; Aleksandar Vučić, president of Serbia; Tharman Shanmugaratnam, president of Singapore; Ulf Kristersson, prime minister of Sweden; Asaad Hassan Al Shibani, minister of foreign affairs of Syria; Paetongtarn Shinawatra, prime minister of Thailand; Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, president of Somalia; and António Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, according to the WEF information.
Amid ongoing conflict, economic uncertainty, and rapid technological advancements, heads of state gathered in Davos for the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2025.
The gathering comes as uncertainty looms large over the international system, with new leaders taking office and conflict persisting in multiple regions.
In Davos, world leaders, top private sector voices, and leading civil society experts are meeting to drive dialogue and catalyse durable solutions to shared challenges.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen delivered a special address during the opening ceremony of the annual meeting. "The world today is still nearly as connected as ever," she stated. "But it has also started fracturing along new lines."
Von der Leyen urged private and public sector leaders to work together, noting that it is in "no one's interest to break the bonds of the global economy."
In a special address, Chinese vice-premier Ding Xuexiang called on governments to uphold the institutions of multilateralism and warned against the increasing use of protectionist policies. "Trade wars have no winners," he stated.
"We need to jointly uphold and practice true multilateralism," Ding said. "Multilateralism is the right way to maintain world peace and promote human progress. It is the golden key to solving the difficulties and challenges facing the world."
In a special address, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz detailed efforts to strengthen Europe as the global geopolitical landscape gets increasingly complex.
"Predictability, honesty, and reliability are having an increasingly difficult time," he said, adding that at the same time, the world is becoming more "complicated and complex."
In a special address, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighted emerging opportunities for Africa, noting that the African Union's entry into the G20 marked a major milestone for global cooperation.
"Cooperation has been one of the key markers of human development, touching on many aspects of human life," Ramaphosa said. "Cooperation is the bedrock of human civilisation."
In a special address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Europe to support Ukraine in its ongoing war against Russia and bolster its defence alliances.
"Europe needs to compete for the top spot in priorities, alliances, and technological development," he said.
Zelenskyy added that when it comes to Europe's security, the continent cannot "rely on goodwill from a few capitals."
In a conversation with Provost Gillian Tett of King's College, University of Cambridge, prime minister of Viet Nam Pham Minh Chinh called for a new era of political stability — a "smart era," he said.
"We need to ensure social progress and equality that leaves no one behind," Chinh said.
In a conversation with World Economic Forum President and CEO Børge Brende, Qatari prime minister and foreign minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani discussed the latest developments in the Middle East.
Topics of discussion included political shifts in Lebanon, the Gaza ceasefire deal, and the "new chapter" for Syria following the fall of the former regime.
In conversation with World Economic Forum Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab, Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim explored the latest political developments in Southeast Asia and the pressing issues facing the global economy.
"We focus on the economic fundamentals," Ibrahim said when speaking about collaboration between Southeast Asian countries.
In a conversation with CNN host Fareed Zakaria, Iranian vice-president for strategic affairs Javad Zarif spoke about the latest developments in the Middle East and ongoing conflicts.
"We can move forward based on opportunities, rather than based on threats," he said, while speaking about efforts to reduce tensions across the region.
In a special address, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez discussed the impact of social media platforms on democracy and societal polarisation.
"We know that far from bringing humanity together and 'empowering the people,' these platforms have resulted in a concentration of power and wealth in the hands of just a few," he said. "Like the ocean, they should be protected and managed."
