Milei's Davos agenda: Meetings with bank CEOs, World Economic Forum speech, interviews

President Javier Milei departed late on Monday night for Zurich, Switzerland, where he will carry out a programme of activities that includes a speech at the high-profile World Economic Forum in Davos.

Milei will also hold a series of meetings with bankers and business leaders and has lined up two high-profile interviews.

Argentina's presidential delegation left Buenos Aires at around 9pm on Monday night and is scheduled to land at 11.30am Buenos Aires time on Tuesday (3.30pm  in Switzerland). Later that evening, Milei is due to meet British entrepreneur Maurice Ostro. The businessman heads the Business Action Council, created in 2020, and is vice-president of the Council of Christians and Jews.

According to domestic media, Milei is travelling with Economy Minister Luis Caputo, Deregulation & State Transformation Minister Federico Sturzenegger and Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno. Presidential Chief-of-Staff Karina Milei, the head of state's sister, is also part of the delegation.

On Wednesday (January 21), the President is scheduled to attend a brief meeting with his Swiss counterpart, Guy Parmelin of the Swiss People’s Party.

Shortly afterwards, Milei will take part in the Country Strategy Dialogue on Argentina, a working meeting with CEOs and senior executives from major companies and holding groups, aimed at "fostering new partnerships and facilitating dialogue between countries."

At 7.30am Buenos Aires time (11.30am in Davos), Milei will meet with the CEOs of several global banks, before his main event. That afternoon, at 11.45am Buenos Aires time (3.45pm in Davos), he will sit down with World Economic Forum president Børge Brende, ahead of his speech to the forum, which brings together the world's business and political elite.

Milei is set to take the stage after US President Donald Trump. While no formal bilateral meeting has been requested, an informal encounter between the two is expected.

In his speech, Argentina's President is anticipated to voice political support for Trump, align himself with Washington’s stance on Venezuela and its ouster of ex-leader Nicolás Maduro and underline his government's commitment to deregulation, economic liberalisation and free-market policies.

On Thursday, Milei will grant a series of pre-recorded interviews, beginning with Bloomberg and followed by a conversation with The Economist editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes.

At 2pm Buenos Aires time on Thursday (6pm. in Switzerland), a special flight carrying the President and his delegation – which has its own parallel agenda while in Davos – will depart for the return journey. The aircraft is scheduled to land back in Argentina at 6am on Friday, January 23.

– TIMES/NA/PERFIL