Santos arrives in Switzerland to talk peace, drugs and investment with world leaders

Juan Manuel Santos (Photo: President's Office)

President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos arrives in Davos, Switzerland today, where he is one of the key figures in the annual Worldwide Economic Forum. 

Santos, who holds a masters in economic development, is expected to speak in front of the forum on topics ranging from the Pacific Alliance trade agreement ratified under his administration, as well as the fight against the global narcotics trade and the ongoing peace process between the FARC rebel group, Colombia’s oldest, and the Colombian government.

MORE: Santos travels to Europe to boast peace talks, economic development

In the “The Drug Dilemma: Consequences for Society, Politics and Business” panel discussion, Santos will share the floor with former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, Organization of American States Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza, Guatemalan President Perez Molina and Afghan Foreign Relations Minister Zalmai Rassoul.

Later Thursday evening, Santos will feature in the “Promise of the Pacific Alliance” talk alongside Peruvian President Ollanta Humala, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieta, Chilean Finance Minister Felipe Larrain and Executive Secretary for the United Nations Economic Commission on Latin America and the Carribean Alicia Barcena.

On Friday, Santos is one of the invited participants to the closed-door Informal Meeting of Worldwide Economic Leaders meeting, entitled “Reconfiguring the World: Defining the Imperatives for 2014.”

According to the Office of the President, Santos will aslo meet in private with various foreign leaders and dignitaries over the course of his stay in Switzerland, including Forum Founder and President Klaus Schwab, Venezuelan writer Moises Naim, the directors of the Carnegie Foundation for International Peace and the Presidents of Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and Peru.

The forum follows a visit to Spain, during which the president touted Colombia as a destination for international investment.

Sources

Office of the President press release 

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