Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene, accompanied by Communications Deputy Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, met with the CEOs and business executives of South Africa’s leading firms on Thursday to discuss the key messages South Africa would be taking to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2015 yearly meeting.

The Ministry of Finance said in a statement that the objective of the briefing was to share South Africa’s key themes and solicit input from business in preparation for the WEF meeting from January 21 to 24, in Davos, Switzerland.

These discussions, it stated, allowed for an opportunity to respond to key issues and to ensure a consistent and uniform message in future.

Based on its National Development Plan (NDP), South Africa wished to communicate at the meeting that the country supported growth in Africa through regional integration and direct investment and continued to advocate the developmental agenda of the South in its international engagements.

The South African delegation to WEF comprised government, business, civil society representatives and would be led by President Jacob Zuma. 

“Pressing issues” likely to be discussed at this year’s meeting included the delivery of sustainable and inclusive growth, lower global growth and looming geopolitical risks, improving global governance through public–private cooperation and the exploration of social and political transformations in all regions.

The WEF is an international forum dedicated to improving living standards for all by promoting public–private cooperation in the spirit of global citizenship.