Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya shared her views on how the emerging economies over the next decade should close the gap in employment models through expansion of skills and training. She was speaking at the “Stakeholder Dialogue – A Coming Jobs Crisis in Emerging Markets?” on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. She also highlighted the vital importance of recognising the contribution of different categories of workers to bring social stability and dignity of work.

The text of the statement issued by the Sri Lankan mission in Geneva: “The Prime Minister attended the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, from 19 to 22 January 2026 at the invitation of the President and Chief Executive Officer of the World Economic Forum, Børge Brende. Over 60 world leaders from government, businesses, civil society and academia attended the Forum in 2026 held under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue”.

The Prime Minister participated in a panel discussion and high-level dialogue at the Forum while also holding bilateral meetings, addressing high-level platforms on women leaders and tourism, and holding business engagements. She shared Sri Lanka’s experience of resilience and recovery, following Cyclone Ditwah and Government measures to establish economic stability, build investor confidence and commitment to removing inequalities.

Prime Minister Amarasuriya also joined a dialogue at the “Strategy Session – Reskilling Revolution: Shaping the Future of Global Talent” at the Forum, which discussed the challenges posed by technological advancements to the world of work.

On the sidelines of the WEF 2026, the Prime Minister delivered the keynote address at the “World Women Davos Agenda 2026,” organised by the World Woman Foundation, and highlighted the importance of creating a political culture where women can engage in decision-making, at policy level, with confidence and dignity.

Joining the high-level dialogue at the Global Tourism Forum in Euronews Hub, under the theme “Tourism as Soft Power and Diplomatic Capital”, Prime Minister Amarasuriya highlighted Sri Lanka as an example of hope, resilience and recovery in an increasingly unstable world with multiple conflicts. She also underscored the diversity of attractions making Sri Lanka a unique experience and a place to build connections and relationships.

The Prime Minister held a bilateral meeting with the President of Singapore Tharman Shanmugaratnam who shared Singapore’s experience in restructuring the country’ s education model giving greater focus to vocational education. Prime Minister Amarasuriya also met with the President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB); Masato Kanda and Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF); Kristalina Georgieva, and discussed Sri Lanka’s engagement with these two institutions particularly following the devastation and damage caused by cyclone Ditwah.

Discussions were also held with EU Commissioners for International Partnerships and for Preparedness and Crisis Management. During a meeting with the recently appointed Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Alexander De Croo, Prime Minister Amarasuriya expressed gratitude for the continued support of UNDP in various social development activities in Sri Lanka.

The Prime Minister’s business engagements included Chairman of A.P. Moller Holding (MAERSK); Robert M. Uggala, Chairman of Menzies Aviation; Hassan El Houry, and separate meetings with the Swiss business community, convened by the Swiss Asian Chamber of Commerce and the Sri Lankan business community in Switzerland.

On the sidelines of the Forum, Prime Minister Amarasuriya was able to visit the Hamiltan Medical AG; a key medical production company specialising in ventilators, and Variosystems; a leading global partner for electronic solutions, with a presence in Sri Lanka. The visits focused on studying their business model that includes providing apprenticeships for vocational and technical education.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, and Ambassador and the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva, Himalee Arunatilaka.”