ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will leave for Norway on Tuesday to participate in the Oslo Summit on Education for Development being held on July 6-7.
His official visit, the first by a Pakistani leader to the Scandinavian country in over a decade, will be undertaken at the invitation of his Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg.
The leaders from all over the world will take part in the summit to garner support for a joint effort to promote education in countries affected by conflict, crisis and poverty.
“For the first time, heads of state and government, ministers, the leaders of a number of UN organisations and representatives of civil society, international organisations and the private sector will be gathered together to make a concerted effort to promote global education. Over 120 million children and young people are currently out of school. They risk becoming a lost generation if we don’t secure increased funding for education and teachers’ salaries, and if we fail to protect children in areas affected by war and conflict, to include children with disabilities, and to increase the number of girls who complete an education,” the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende said.
During the visit, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will address the Education Summit and interact with several world leaders.
Sharif will hold delegation level talks with his Norwegian counterpart. He will also meet Crown Prince of Norway Haakon Magnus.
“The visit will provide an opportunity to the Prime Minister to discuss bilateral as well as global and regional issues with the Norwegian leadership,” the Foreign Office said in a statement issued in Islamabad on July 3.
“The Prime Minister’s visit will help in strengthening the existing ties between Pakistan and Norway.”
