ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday attended the Future Investment Initiative (FII) summit in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, where he shared with attendees his government was looking forward to forging new partnerships in artificial intelligence (AI), education and health.
The FII serves as an important platform for countries to showcase their economic strength, draw foreign investments, and engage in dialogue to shape a sustainable future.
This year’s FII summit, themed as ‘Infinite Horizons: Investing Today, Shaping Tomorrow,’ will focus on global investments in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, education, energy, space, finance, health care and sustainability.
Speaking at the summit on its opening day, Sharif said Pakistan was laying foundations for a knowledge-based economy, driven by innovation in the domains of AI, education and health.
“Artificial intelligence is more than a trend, it is a force revolutionizing economies, societies, and industries. Pakistan is not just embracing Artificial intelligence, we are committed to excelling in it,” he said.
“Training skilled engineers and data scientists is the backbone of Pakistan’s AI growth. Through educational reforms, vocational trainings and digital literacy, we aim to build a tech-savvy generation.”
The prime minister noted that Pakistan’s health care sector was home to more than 275,000 registered doctors, with the country’s youth pioneering new health tech solutions.
“With advancements in health care standards, we envision a future where our doctors and scientists collaborate across borders for a healthier tomorrow,” he added.
Sharif said that no country could alone face the modern-day challenges, inviting the participating nations to invest in Pakistan and to bring their expertise to the South Asian country as it builds a future “rooted in resilience and shared prosperity.”
“No single country can harness the potential of tomorrow without the support of others,” he said. “Pakistan stands ready to join those countries who dare to dream big.”
Sharif’s visit to the Kingdom comes after a visit to Islamabad by Saudi Investment Minister Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih during which over $2 billion in agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed between Saudi and Pakistani businesses.
During this visit, Sharif is also expected to call on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and meet other senior leaders of the Kingdom, according to the Pakistani foreign office.
“The two sides will discuss economic and strategic partnership between Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and explore bilateral cooperation in the economic, energy, and defense domains,” the foreign office said in a statement.
The Pakistani PM’s visit takes place at a time when Islamabad is seeking to strengthen trade and investment ties with friendly nations, particularly the Kingdom, whose leadership reaffirmed its commitment earlier this year to expediting a $5 billion investment package, which cash-strapped Pakistan desperately needs to shore up its dwindling foreign reserves and fight a chronic balance of payment crisis.
