Chief Adviser Yunus Departs Switzerland After WEF Summit

Staff Correspondent; Nation 2025-01-25, 10:14am

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has concluded his four-day visit to Switzerland and is on his way home after attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos.

According to CA’s Deputy Press Secretary, Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, “A commercial flight of Emirates Airlines carrying the Chief Adviser and his entourage departed Zurich International Airport at 9:50 pm (local time) on Friday, January 24.” He added that Prof Yunus is expected to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 5:00 pm (BD Time) today.

During the WEF summit, Prof Yunus participated in 47 formal events, including meetings with high-level dignitaries and global leaders. He engaged in discussions with four heads of state or government, four ministerial-level officials, 10 top executives of UN and similar organizations, 10 business CEOs, and numerous other influential figures from around the world.

Since his arrival in Davos on January 21, Prof Yunus has had an intense schedule filled with significant interactions. On his first day, he attended seven events, including a notable meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Throughout the summit, Prof Yunus met with a variety of international leaders, including Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. He also had discussions with several notable figures such as UN Secretary-General António Guterres, former U.S. Special Envoy on Climate Change John Kerry, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

On January 22, Prof Yunus participated in about 14 events, including meetings with King Philippe of Belgium, Swiss Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis, and Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of the UAE. He also spoke at a plenary session titled The State of Climate and Nature and attended an event hosted by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.

The following day, January 23, saw Prof Yunus attend 14 scheduled events and several side engagements, including meetings with Sir Nick Clegg of Meta Platforms, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem of DP World, and Robert Maersk Uggla of A.P. Moller - Maersk. He also participated in a one-on-one program organized by Klaus Schwab, the Founder of WEF, and addressed an event at the Climate Hub.

On his final day in Switzerland, Prof Yunus attended more than seven events, including discussions with American investor Ray Dalio and Xenel Group Chairman Amer Alireza.

After an eventful and productive visit, the Chief Adviser has now left Switzerland, marking the end of his participation in this year’s WEF summit.