Meetings of economic leaders in neutral Switzerland date back to 1971, in the midst of the Cold War, at the initiative of Klaus Schwab, a professor, engineer and economist who currently serves as executive chairman of the WEF. Approximately 450 people from 31 countries attended the first meeting to discuss better management techniques in the company. Schwab, of German origin, chose Davos, a small ski resort by then known as an Alpine ski resort, as the venue for the meetings. famous spa Where Thomas Mann set the scene for his novel ‘Magic mountain’. Since its birth, the Davos Forum has been establishing itself as a venue for meeting and discussing the fundamental economic, geopolitical and social challenges that have occurred in the world during the more than 50-year advance of globalization. is showing the first signs of withdrawal. When organizers mention it “The soul of DavosSee the beginning of ” public-private collaborationa approach to key global challenges and for a concept of capitalism based on “stakeholder theory” that aims to integrate employees, suppliers, customers, society and the environment into the company’s purpose.
2 Who participates?
More than 2,800 leaders are scheduled to attend this year; Unlike previous years, neither Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping nor the US President are among them. Joe Biden. If the presence of the Chinese Prime Minister is planned, Li QiangHe will arrive at the Alpine resort at a very sensitive time, just days after the victory of the independence movement in Taiwan. The highest representation of the United States in Davos will correspond to the US Secretary of State on this occasion. Anthony Blinkenand US national security advisor Jake Sullivan.
In total, the organization stated that it will attend Davos More than 60 heads of state and government. Among the Europeans, the French will also participate Emmanuel MacronSpanish Pedro SánchezSwitzerland Viola AmherdBelgian Alexander De Croo Hellenic Kyriakis Mitsotakis, Irish Leo VaradkarDutch Mark Ruttedialect Andrzej Duda or Serbian Aleksandar Vucic. The Ukrainian president is also planned to attend. Volodomir Zelensky, It is not yet known whether he will attend physically or telematically.
Argentina’s new president Javier Milei, will hold its first major public event at an international forum in Davos. Colombian President Han Duck-soo of Korea is also planned to attend. Gustavo Peter; Prime ministers of Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Thailand and Mongolia; the presidents of Israel, Kenya, Nigeria, Lebanon, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Vietnam;
Among the regular participants will be IMF presidents this year. Kristalina Georgieva; ECB, Christine Lagarde and the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen. Also President of NATO Jens Stoltenberg or that of the UN, Antonio Guterres. On the corporate side, the participation of presidents and senior managers of large industrial, financial and service companies was approved.
3 What about the Spanish presence?
From the government’s perspective, the intervention of the Head of Government is planned, Pedro SánchezTuesday afternoon, January 17, before the WEF general assembly. Also third vice president, Teresa Riberaand the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel AlbaresHe will participate as a speaker at separate discussion tables.
In principle, the representation of Spanish business at the World Economic Forum will include the assistance of: Ana Botínchairman of Banco Santander; José María Álvarez-Pallete, president and CEO of Telefónica; Ignacio Sanchez Galanchairman and CEO of Iberdrola; Carlos TorresChairman of BBVA; Josu Jon ImazCEO of Repsol; Francisco ReynesPresident and CEO of Naturgy; Rafael del PinoFerrovial’s chief executive officer or Maarten WetselaarCEO of Cepsa.
4 What are the main themes?
WEF 2023 planning includes more than one 200 debate tables and speeches individual on different topics that make up the call ‘Davos agenda’ Topics related to business management, global economy, geopolitics, technology, human resources, Sustainable Development Goals (sustainable development goals), energy, food, health, climate change and a long list of other topics.
For 19 years, discussions at the Davos Forum have been preceded by an annual report on global risks based on a survey of 1,400 political, economic and social leaders. Another report that is traditionally presented before the beginning of each summit is the report on inequality in the world presented by the NGO Intermón Oxfam every year.
5 What will they talk about?
On this occasion, the Global Risks Report (Global Risks 2024), presented on January 10 before the Forum, states the following: misinformation and Extreme climate events emerge as the world’s first economic and social problem in the short term. According to the report, dissemination of false or misleading information In a year when elections are planned in many countries, including the UK, USA, Mexico, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and Pakistan, this issue becomes especially worrying with the help of artificial intelligence. The spread of misinformation online can “undermine the legitimacy of elected governments” and, in some cases, lead to everything from violent protests to hate crimes and terrorism, the report says.
Following misinformation and extreme climate events, the 2024 global risks report lists social polarization, cyber distrust, spread of armed conflict, scarcity of economic opportunities, inflation, forced migration, recession and pollution as the main uncertainties of the next two years, respectively. (The three main risks identified in 2023 were inflation, climate disasters and geoeconomic conflicts).
6 For what?
WEF participants argue that the Davos Forum is a platform. discussion and exchange of ideas this is in your favor partnership between and between countries public and private initiativesjust like him understanding Between parties representing different views and interests on different global issues. In any case, it is not a place where decisions are made.
Beyond its aim of global cooperation and understanding, the Davos Conference Center becomes, at each edition of the WEF, a crowded platform where political and business leaders from the most diverse parts of the planet have the opportunity to come together. organizing meetings and making connections Otherwise, it would be necessary to fly for hours and stay in hotels. Some Meetings of Spanish president Pedro Sánchez in recent yearsMonths later, announcements of strong investments in Spain came, as in 2022 with Cisco’s announcement of a microchip project in Barcelona or three data centers in Barcelona. Amazon Web Services (AWS) in Aragon. Sánchez held meetings with CEOs of investment funds in 2023 mubadala And Black Rock and with the president Arcelor MittalIt was from him that he received commitments for the company’s industrial projects in Asturias.
Critics, however, see the Davos Forum as a simple job fair wrapped in good intentions. It is not for nothing that each edition of the WEF is accompanied by protests from various types of organizations, which use the summit to criticize the effects of capitalism on the climate, the environment and social inequalities.