WEF not just about inking agreements but networking with influential people: Andhra CM

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said on Saturday a visit to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, is not just about inking agreements but networking with influential people to gain insights into the direction the world is headed. Addressing a press conference on his recent visit to Davos, the Chief Minister brushed aside criticism from some quarters, including YSRCP, that the high-level delegation led by him returned empty-handed and focused solely on Naidu’s self-promotion, while other states managed to forge deals. “Davos is a place for networking. The whole world goes there for four days. Country heads and ministers attend. Not only governments, but all corporations will be there,” said the CM, adding that there is a myth about Davos, where people only consider the number of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed and the amount of money flowing in the form of investments.

According to Naidu, the WEF in the Swiss resort town of Davos brings together the best minds for knowledge enhancement and learning the latest trends.

The TDP supremo asserted that he spoke to several key people during the summit, including Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and observed that meeting all of them in their home countries would be a herculean task, involving visas, appointments, and several other challenges.

By attending the WEF, he said all these challenges could be overcome, allowing engagement with globally influential persons under one roof in just three days.

Noting that concepts such as green energy, green hydrogen, natural farming, IT, Artificial Intelligence, deep tech, and others dominated the discussions at WEF, he highlighted that one could learn a lot there. Naidu said he held 27 one-on-one meetings, and attended four roundtable conferences, three congress sessions, and more, while AI and green energy were the buzzwords.