Dr. Yunus Visits Switzerland: Focus on Tech Partnerships and Economic Dialogues
Dr. Muhammad Yunus embarked on a four-day official visit to Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum Summit in Davos. On the first day of his visit, Tuesday, he held a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the sidelines of the summit.
During the visit, Dr. Yunus is scheduled to meet prominent global leaders, including Sheikh Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, daughter of the UAE Prime Minister; Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank; Sir Nick Clegg, President of Global Affairs at Meta; Dr. Agnes Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International; and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
On the third day of his visit, Dr. Yunus is expected to hold a pivotal meeting with Sir Nick Clegg to discuss Meta’s initiatives in Bangladesh. This meeting is anticipated to focus on making technology more accessible to young entrepreneurs and expanding Facebook’s activities in the country. It is also likely that Dr. Yunus will assure government policy support for establishing Meta’s data centers and offices in Bangladesh.
According to diplomatic sources, this high-profile meeting is expected to take place on January 23, though the exact time and venue remain undisclosed. If fruitful, the discussions may result in groundbreaking developments, including Meta setting up a data center or office in Dhaka, which would be a remarkable achievement for the country.
Previously, on December 8, Meta’s Director of Human Rights Policy, Miranda Sissons, met with Dr. Yunus at his office. During that meeting, Sissons assured him that Meta remains vigilant to ensure its platform is not misused for spreading misinformation against Bangladesh.
Dr. Yunus’s press wing has revealed that, for the first time, a dedicated dialogue focusing on Bangladesh will be held at the forum. The government anticipates this dialogue will enhance confidence among international business leaders and encourage foreign investment in Bangladesh.
It is worth noting that Dr. Yunus’s advocacy has previously yielded significant diplomatic gains. On August 5, he held a meeting with ambassadors from 28 European Union nations in Dhaka, where he requested them to establish embassies in Dhaka instead of Delhi to facilitate Bangladeshi citizens’ access to European visas. Many European embassies have since opened offices in Dhaka, resolving challenges faced by Bangladeshi workers and visa applicants.
Given Dr. Yunus’s proactive role, it is anticipated that Meta will expand its operations in Bangladesh, potentially establishing data centers and increasing the number of cache servers to support the country’s growing digital ecosystem. This development could mark another milestone in Bangladesh’s digital transformation.
