WEF chief meets PM Tarique Rahman in China

World Economic Forum (WEF) President and CEO Alois Zwinggi paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dalian, China, on Tuesday.
The meeting took place at the Dalian International Conference Centre at 5pm local time, according to a press release from the Prime Minister’s press wing.
At the outset, Zwinggi congratulated him on assuming office as head of government.
During the meeting, the prime minister praised the WEF’s initiatives on climate action and called for stronger coordinated efforts to support delta countries such as Bangladesh, highly vulnerable to rising sea levels.
He said Bangladesh has launched an initiative to plant 250 million trees over the next five years. He also outlined plans to restore water flow, reduce flood risks and protect the environment through the re-excavation of nearly 20,000 kilometres of rivers and canals.
Tarique Rahman further noted that the government has introduced tax incentives for solar power generation to boost renewable energy, adding that Bangladesh aims to generate 20% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
Zwinggi expressed interest in leveraging the prime minister’s experience and initiatives in addressing climate change at the global level.
He said Bangladesh’s progress in climate resilience and sustainable development is expected to attract interest from international financing institutions and investors.
The WEF chief assured continued support from the organisation, while giving due consideration to Bangladesh’s priorities.
He also invited the prime minister to attend the WEF Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Ashiq Chowdhury and Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman were present at the meeting.