What to expect from World Economic Forum 2018

Political, business, international organisations, civil society leaders will gather in Davos, Switzerland for the annual World Economic Forum later this month. This year’s summit will be held under the theme, ‘Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World.’ The agenda and theme is set to inform the current global context, where the world and regions are increasingly being split by aspects such as political instability in some regions, divided political interest and alliances with different partners. The meeting will seek to identify ways countries around the world can secure inclusive growth amidst scarce resources and varied approaches. “The global context today has changed dramatically: geostrategic fractures have re-emerged on multiple fronts with wide-ranging political, economic and social consequences. With over 400 sessions, the programme is an unparalleled effort to engage leaders in a new shared narrative to improve the state of the world,” a concept note by the event organisers points out. Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum, said that the increasing failure and inability to achieve inclusive growth and preserve resources calls for development of new models for cooperation. “Our collective inability to secure inclusive growth and preserve our scarce resources puts multiple global systems at risk simultaneously. Our first response must be to develop new models for cooperation that are not based on narrow interests but on the destiny of humanity as a whole,” Schwab said at a news conference on Tuesday. For instance, the discussions could be beneficial for Africa as it comes at a time when the continent is in the process of African Union reforms tailored to align the body’s interests and efforts towards common goals. The African continent could also use a new and improved model that fosters private and public sector cooperation to develop and implement large scale infrastructure projects, such as railways and ports, among others. Rwanda at WEF Like in previous years, Rwanda will be represented at the forum by government and members of the private sector. They will likely showcase investment opportunities in the country. Members of the private sector and government agencies could also use the summit to forge partnerships to pursue new initiatives and projects. Rwanda will also be represented by Kigali Shapers, an arm of the Global Shapers community, who will be advocating for removal of visa requirements for Africans traveling to other African countries. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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What to expect from World Economic Forum 2018