2024-01-13 20:48:35
Paris (agencies)
From Gaza to Ukraine, trade and the Red Sea, geopolitical issues are expected to dominate the annual meeting of the global political and economic elites, which opens tomorrow, Monday, in the Swiss resort of Davos.
The President of the World Economic Forum, Borghi Brende, confirmed that the conference, which will be held in the Swiss Alps from January 15 to 19, comes “in the most complex geopolitical and economic context in decades.”
“The war in Gaza continues, and there are fears of escalation,” Brindi said this week.
He added: In Davos, we will bring in the main stakeholders and look at how to avoid further deterioration and also what will follow, because we also have to inject some positivity.
In light of wars, climate change, diplomatic tensions, and attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, economist and partner in the consulting firm Bain & Company, Karen Harris, saw that “the current geopolitical situation is like watching a circus performer flipping plates on poles.” More than 60 heads of state and heads of government, in addition to hundreds of economic leaders, are participating in the Davos Forum.
Among the participants is Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang, who is the most senior Chinese official to participate in the forum since President Xi Jinping participated in 2017.
The new liberal Argentine president, Javier Mele, will also attend the forum. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and his Jordanian counterpart Bisher Al-Khasawneh will also attend.
As for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who previously addressed the forum via video, he will come in person this year, and will deliver a “special speech,” and will participate on Sunday, before the World Economic Forum, in a meeting of national security advisors from several countries. French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to deliver a speech on “France’s role in Europe,” according to organizers.
The Swiss ski resort will be subject to strict surveillance. About 5,000 Swiss soldiers participate in a security mission that includes continuous patrols with combat aircraft in the country’s airspace.
In addition to discussing global conflicts, the forum, which is held under the slogan “Rebuilding Confidence,” aims to focus on artificial intelligence, which organizers described as “a force for the economy and society.”
Among the big names in the field of global capitalism, representatives of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Sam Altman, head of OpenAI, which launched the generative artificial intelligence platform ChatGPT, will attend.
Climate and cybersecurity issues were also on the agenda, as were the risks associated with media disinformation.
The “Global Risks Report” published by the World Economic Forum days before the start of its activities, and at the beginning of a year that will witness elections in a large number of countries around the world, stated that “the widespread use of false and misleading information and the tools to spread it might undermine the legitimacy of newly elected governments.” The World Economic Forum noted in a statement that this year “societal polarization” and intentionally disseminated misinformation “generated by artificial intelligence” add to “concerns regarding an ongoing livelihood crisis.”
In addition to the official programme, the Davos Forum also includes informal meetings that bring together political and economic decision-makers, with the possibility of skiing from time to time at an altitude of 1,500 meters above sea level.
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