The world’s elites meet again in snow at the Davos forum

For the first time since the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic, the world’s elites meet again in snow in Davos for, with discussions today focusing on the war in Ukraine and the future of global trade following the lifting of health restrictions in China.

Today, during the first day of debates in World Economic ForumEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He are scheduled to deliver speeches, among others.

Almost a year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the war will be on everyone’s mind. A major Ukrainian delegation is expected in Davos, led by the country’s first lady Olena Zelenska, who is due to deliver a special message today.

For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is going to intervene several times during the forum via video link, starting tomorrow, Wednesday.

The implications of the war for global energy supply, food security and security mainly in Europe will also be on the agenda for discussions this week.

Although the Russians will be absent, as will billionaire George Soros, who will not be hosting his traditional Davos dinner this year as his schedule won’t allow it, the World Economic Forum will be attended by a significant delegation from China, following the withdrawal from Beijing of the health restrictions that had been imposed to stop the pandemic of the new corona virus.

At the same time, Liu will meet later in the week in Zurich with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to discuss global trade, as reported by AFP and relayed by the Athens News Agency.

Chinese President Xi Jinping emerged in 2017 from Davos as a champion of globalization, but this notion has been increasingly challenged in recent times by the strengthening of protectionism.

New Cold War

The American president Joe Biden has drawn criticism with the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a bill that would provide government aid to US businesses involved in electric vehicles or renewable energy, with Europe preparing its response.

“Government subsidies adopted in the name of economic or national security” risk having “unintended consequences” or “being used to gain (one country) an economic advantage at the expense of others”, warned yesterday, Monday, the director general of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva.

As announced by the Swiss government, approximately 5,000 military personnel have been mobilized, and flight restrictions will be imposed in the region to ensure the safety of heads of state and government, representatives of international organizations and heads of companies participating in the forum.

Non-governmental organizations are also gathering in Davos this week. About 200 people already demonstrated on Sunday against the forum.

The NGO Oxfam yesterday criticized the “extreme and dangerous” levels of economic inequality in the world, calling for the number of billionaires in the world to be halved by 2030 by taxing and abolishing them “in the long term”.

Greenpeace, for its part, spoke of “hypocrisy” on the part of the global elite discussing the climate, while during last year’s World Economic Forum, in May, 500 private jets had arrived in Davos, according to a report by the Dutch of CE Delft company.