Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Switzerland next month to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, officials said on Monday.

Preparations for the visit were reviewed during a high-level briefing chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad. The meeting focused on arrangements for the prime minister’s participation in the 56th annual WEF meeting.

Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch and Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to Geneva, along with senior officials, briefed the deputy prime minister on the tentative programme, agenda and overall preparations for the visit. The bilateral component of the trip and an extensive schedule of media engagements were also discussed.

Dar directed officials to maximise interactions with visiting heads of state and government, as well as senior leaders of global economic, business and financial institutions. He also stressed the need to explore opportunities for collaboration with private sector entities on the sidelines of the forum.

The World Economic Forum annual meeting will be held in Davos-Klosters from January 19 to 23 under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue.”