President Niinistö at the World Economic Forum in Davos

President Sauli Niinistö met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran Mohammad Javar Zarif in Davos.

President Sauli Niinistö met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran Mohammad Javar Zarif in Davos.

President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on 21-22 January 2016. President Niinistö had been invited to take part in discussions regarding key global concerns in 2016, hybrid threats and the fourth industrial revolution.

President Niinistö also had several bilateral meetings in Davos, for instance with the Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg on Friday 22 January. The discussion focused on asylum seekers and the current situation on the Eastern border. The President also held separate talks with the former Russian Minister of Finance Alexei Kudrin, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev, and the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

On Thursday 21 January President Niinistö met with the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javar Zarif.

Both expressed their satisfaction with the agreement reached in Vienna to limit the Iranian nuclear programme. It is remarkable that after such a lengthy period of discord the parties were able to sit around the same table and come to an agreement on the matter. President Niinistö and Foreign Minister Zarif also discussed the situation in Syria and ways of resolving it. During the discussion, the Iranian Foreign Minister explained Iran’s views regarding its relationship with Saudi-Arabia.

President Niinistö’s programme on Thursday included a meeting with Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Topics of this discussion included the administrative reform of the IMF, the position of emerging economies, and the geopolitical impact of money flows.

About 2,500 delegates, including more than 40 heads of state or governments, attended the Davos World Economic Forum this year. This annual event gathered together policy-makers, business leaders, academics, representatives of non-governmental organisations, as well as economic and cultural opinion formers to discuss the global economic outlook and other topical global and regional issues.

The main theme of this year’s forum was the fourth industrial revolution. In addition, the sessions covered topics such as the European refugee crisis, climate change, as well as security and hybrid threats.

President Niinistö with founder of Eurasia Group Ian Bremmer and Chairman of Munich Security Conference Wolfgang Ischinger. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

President Niinistö with founder of Eurasia Group Ian Bremmer and Chairman of Munich Security Conference Wolfgang Ischinger. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė and president Niinistö.  Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė and president Niinistö. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

President Niinistö and Norway's prime minister Erna Solberg met in Davos on Friday, 22 January. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

President Niinistö and Norway’s prime minister Erna Solberg met in Davos on Friday, 22 January. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

President Niinistö discussing with Chairman of the Committee of Civil Initiatives Aleksei Kudrin, from Russia. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

President Niinistö discussing with Chairman of the Committee of Civil Initiatives Aleksei Kudrin, from Russia. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

President Sauli Niinistö discussing with Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde.

President Sauli Niinistö discussing with Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde.