The World Economic Forum (WEF) today said its next Annual Meeting in Swiss resort town Davos will focus on "strengthening cooperation in a fractured world".
Announcing its 2018 Annual Meeting from January 23-26, the Geneva-based non-profit foundation said the global context has changed dramatically and geo-strategic fissures have re- emerged on multiple fronts with wide-ranging political, economic and social consequences.
The WEF, known for hosting a congregation of world leaders from different walks of life in snow-laden Davos every year, said further 'realpolitik is no longer just a relic of the Cold War" and economic prosperity and social cohesion are not one and the same.
"The global commons cannot protect or heal itself," said the WEF, which is also scheduled to host its annual India Economic Summit next month in New Delhi.
About the 48th WEF Annual Meeting in January next, it said the meeting would aim to rededicate leaders from all walks of life to developing a shared narrative to improve the state of the world.
"By coming together at the start of the year, we can shape the future by joining this unparallelled global effort in
co-design, co-creation and collaboration. The programme's depth and breadth make it a true summit of summits," it added.
"Politically, new and divisive narratives are transforming governance. Economically, policies are being formulated to preserve the benefits of global integration while limiting shared obligations such as sustainable development, inclusive growth and managing the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
"Socially, citizens yearn for responsive leadership; yet, a collective purpose remains elusive despite ever-expanding social networks. All the while, the social contract between states and their citizens continues to erode," it said.
The WEF further said the theme of the meeting, 'Strengthening Cooperation in a Fractured World', will make a case for renewed commitment to international collaboration as a way of solving critical global challenges.
More than 2,500 participants from over 100 countries will participate in over 400 sessions and these would include income leaders from business, government, international organisations, civil society, academia, media and the arts.
"The aim of the meeting will be to set an agenda that drives greater multi-stakeholder collaboration to address political, economic and societal challenges of our times," it said.
"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," WEF Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said.
The meeting would discuss supporting efforts to improve global governance mechanisms and advance major multilateral processes, for example, the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
Besides, the leaders would talk about ways to prepare for and respond to a rapidly changing geo-political landscape.
Its economic agenda would include supporting multi- stakeholder efforts to deliver sustainable and inclusive economic development in the face of lower growth rates, declining productivity and skills gaps, the WEF said.
As part of the regional agenda, the Davos meeting would examine in depth the social and economic transformations occurring in all regions while the Industry and Business Agenda would focus on shaping of new ecosystems and helping industry and government leaders prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The Future Agenda of the summit would include sharing the ideas, innovations and discoveries that will have the greatest impact in reshaping global systems.
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