The world's most powerful people are meeting in a small Swiss ski resort this week – but the mood is darker than ever.
War in the Middle East and Ukraine, geopolitical conflicts, Trump's re-election and the rise of the far right in Europe. The World Economic Forum (WEF) kicked off Tuesday in Davos with grim signs. 2,800 participants – CEOs, billionaires from 120 countries, 60 heads of state!
“Rebuilding Trust” – The theme of the 54th World Economic Forum is very optimistic considering many issues.
Eminent Economist and Ifo Chairman Prof. Clemens Fuest told BILD: “Especially this year's World Economic Forum in Davos is characterized by an important tone. What we are currently seeing in the world economy is a shift away from the era of international cooperation. Geopolitical conflicts are leading to increased protectionism.”
Zelenskyj, Blinken, Macron and von der Leyen are in Davos
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (64) gave the opening speech, followed by EU Commission President Ursula van der Leyen (65). Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, 45, is already in Davos. Israeli President Isaac Herzog (63), US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken (61) and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres (74) are expected to attend. Argentina's new president Javier Mille (52) and French president Emmanuel Macron (46) will take office tomorrow.
Robert Habeck and EU Commission President Ursula van der Leyen in Davos
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbach (43) and Finance Minister Christian Lindner (45) are from Germany.
Economy Minister Robert Habeck (54) appeared to reporters on Tuesday morning.
“The world is under water”
“As a global community, we need cooperation: more cooperation, more trust and a restructuring of multilateral institutions,” Habeck said.
“The worst thing is that small states, raising borders, everyone cooking their own soup – and it also creates the impression that we are stealing other people's potatoes and carrots, and then we have wars and conflicts, as in the last century. In fact, in this one watershed, it will be much worse,” said the economy minister. That's why all governments willing to cooperate are partners of the central government. Habeck continued: “Putin must not win this conflict – all the neighboring countries will be threatened in the next few years.”
Ifo Chairman Prof. Clemens Fuest can already see the economy and politics drifting apart. Many countries are already saying: “We will produce the goods ourselves,” he warns.
“There is a lot of distrust. A few years ago things were even better. Relations with China have become more difficult. “On top of that, support for right-wing populist parties in Europe is growing significantly,” Fuest said. Only with international cooperation can we make progress on climate protection: “Things are bad there.”
From Tuesday to Friday the world's most powerful people meet in Davos
Not only politicians come to the Graubünden mountains – the world's most powerful business leaders too! More than 800 CEOs participate. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, IBM boss Arvind Krishna and ChatGBT founder Sam Altman and Amazon boss Andy Jassy. Bayer boss Bill Anderson also arrives.
So much power to be conserved in a tense situation! Airspace over Davos has been closed and the Swiss military has built a 250-kilometer security fence around the luxury ski resort.
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