VEON Ltd. and Nutshell Group have formalised a strategic partnership to launch THE GLOBAL CONNECT, an international platform aimed at accelerating cross-border investment, digital transformation and long-term economic cooperation across emerging and frontier economies. The Memorandum of Understanding between Nutshell Group, VEON Limited and JazzWorld was signed at VEON’s global headquarters in Dubai on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit.
The agreement creates a collaborative framework for digital innovation, inclusive growth and investment facilitation, strengthening public private partnerships to accelerate sustainable development. THE GLOBAL CONNECT will seek to connect global capital, technology and markets with credible opportunities on the ground, with a particular focus on Pakistan’s evolving business environment.
Bilal Azhar Kayani, Minister of State for Finance and Railways and Head of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit, welcomed the initiative and highlighted Pakistan’s macroeconomic stability and investor friendly reforms. He emphasised full government support for initiatives that promote digitalisation and cross border investment and noted that such platforms send a strong signal to international investors.
Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, Founder and Chairman of Nutshell Group, described THE GLOBAL CONNECT as a practical mechanism to move intent into execution: structured engagement that links capital, technology and markets with credible projects to build continuity and trust across borders.
VEON leadership reaffirmed their long term commitment to Pakistan through the Invest in Pakistan Now initiative, with Founder and Chairman Augie K. Fabela II and Global CEO Kaan Terzioglu highlighting the role of digital platforms in expanding financial inclusion, boosting economic participation and lifting productivity. Aamir Hafeez Ibrahim, CEO of JazzWorld, noted that Pakistan’s scale, resilience and expanding digital infrastructure position the country for the next phase of growth and that coordinated investor engagement will help translate potential into tangible projects.
The inaugural meeting of THE GLOBAL CONNECT is scheduled for Islamabad in May 2026 and will bring together leaders from more than 25 countries to advance economic cooperation, promote cross border investment and develop practical pathways for inclusive growth. Headquartered in Islamabad, the platform is establishing strategic presence across key global centres including Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Tashkent, Astana, Cairo, Nairobi, Beijing, Hong Kong, Washington, New York, Toronto, Istanbul and London to strengthen regional linkages.
The signing ceremony included senior government representatives and corporate leaders such as H. E. Shafqat Ali Khan, Augie K. Fabela II, Brandon Lewis, Kaan Terzioglu, Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, Aamir Hafeez Ibrahim, Usman Yousuf, Rabia Ahmad, Unaizah Saeed Ali, Hande Asik, Khaled Nasser and Zaheer Mehdi. The event also saw participation from industry figures including Samad Dawood, Saeed Alhebsi, Brendan McKittrick, Jimmy Nguyen, Tahir Malik, Faraz Minai, Shazad Dada and Asim Chohan, signalling broad international support for the initiative.
By design, THE GLOBAL CONNECT aims to be a credible and enduring bridge between Pakistan and the international community, facilitating investment, trade, knowledge exchange and long term cooperation that supports sustainable economic development across emerging markets.
