Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan requested that his country's authorities avoid the World Economic Forum in Davos this week over its organizers' stance on Israel's conflict against Hamas, as per people acquainted with the matter.
Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek was wanting to go to the annual gathering of political and business pioneers until Erdogan — who's scrutinized Israel's conduct of its conflict in Gaza — prevented him from going, people said, asking not to be distinguished in view of the sensitivity of the matter.
A spokesperson for the World Economic Forum said that "serious security and humanitarian situation in the Middle East will be a key concentration," of the summit.
"We will give a stage to key partners from the region and beyond to share views on the most proficient method to deescalate and track down ways back to diplomacy. In this regard, we will likewise have more than 50 leaders from the Arab world, including a Palestinian high-level representative," the WEF said.
Erdogan's choice to pull out his top officials from the summit complicates Turkey's endeavors to reconnect with global investors after years of unconventional policies had driven them away.
The flake-out in Davos follows one more shift in plans by Simsek as of late. The minister, designated in June as a part of a government shakeup by Erdogan, was set to go to a central bank-organized meeting with investors in New York last week yet rather went along with it virtually.
Erdogan's and Simsek's workplaces both declined to remark.
