Modi invited to World Economic Forum
... to showcase Gujarat's achievements

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to showcase the achievements of the State at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Conference, to be held in Dailin, China in September this year.

Modi who concluded his three day visit to Switzerland at the head of a business delegation from the State had a meeting with Professor Klaus Schwab, Chairman and Peter Torelle, Managing Director of WEF wherein the invitation for the 'summer Davos' was extended.

Pankaj Patel, president of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) who was part of the delegation told mediapersons here on Friday that the participation in this meeting would be followed by an invitation to present Gujarat's case before the congregation of global CEOs at WEFs flagship annual event in Davos in January next year.

A high power delegation comprising senior Government officials and industrialists from the pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, chemicals, petrochemicals, oil and gas, infrastructure, power, transportation and banking and financial services accompanied the Chief Minister.

Patel said that of the 55 hours the delegation spent in Switzerland 37 hours were spent on over 17 focused groups and one to one meetings. "The mission was successful in as much as it achieved the objectives of creating awareness about Gujarat among Swiss industry, it's investing community, UN agencies and WEF", he added.

Patel said that the delegation which called on Dr Supachai Panitchpakdi, Secretary General of UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and development), the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade and development, was promised assistance in the promotion of tourism in Gujarat (through UNCTADs e-tourism initiative) and capacity building for SMEs through it's EMPRETEC programme.

Modi also visited the Swiss headquarters of Alstom, the French power and transportation giant at Baden, bio-pharmaceutical major Actelon at Basel besides hosting a round table of leading venture capital funds in Switzerland besides a host of other major firms. The Chief Minister invited them to set up units in Gujarat.

A reception hosted by the Swiss Indian Chamber of Commerce was attended among others by CEOs and senior directors of companies like Novartis, Nestle, Alstom, UBS, Holcim, Creidt Suisse, and Schindler AG.