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First Challenges identified

The big debate has finally begun around the theme of regional identities and struggles and the first conversations identifying the key challenges have begun to take place in small intimate groups, discussion panels and in the big townhall debate.

The first day of the 2006 Annual Meeting was dedicated to identify the key challenges for each of the major themes of this year's event.

With regards to regional identities and struggles , the main challenges identified, with potential global impact, that face the five major world regions over the coming 12-18 months were:

1. Institution and Governance:  Pushing through the reform agenda, democratization, transparency and building a sense of regional identity and community.  The new “conservative” wave of political leadership. 
2. Security: Taming social unrest through integration, militarization of rouge states and the development of a new breed of terrorism
3. Economics: The long oil boom and the repercussion on global economy. The winners and the loosers, Market reforms
4. Development Struggle: new models of the welfare state for the 21^st century, reform of the labour market and changing balance of demographic population of nations ( local vs immigrants),

Key regional questions that need to be addresssed in the next 12-18 months the most pressing ones identified were:

In terms of k

1. Europe:  How can the European Union clearly define the region’s priorities to ensure that the European Union can work.  Solving the key governance and leadership issue are key to ensuring the ecomomic development of the region in face of a european identity crises

2. Middle East: How can governments in the middle east ensure that their elections are not simply “window dressing” exercises benefiting simply national elites?  How can the long oil boom ensure regional development and stabilty. 

3. Latin America: How can, or will, the new regional political alliances arising from the coming to power of conservative goverments make sure that the market the reforms accomplished thus far are continued?

4. Africa: How can african governments keep the reform agenda moving forward to ensure good public and corporate governance practices become wide spread and they create the structures necessary for strong intra-regional trade aimed at  economic development.

The real question however is what are the mechanisms for change that each region needs to adopt  in order to provide concrete solutions to the key challenges identified?  Are interntational bodies or umbrella organisations going to be able to provide the answers or are the transformations needed only able to be done at a local level?   

Welcome to Regional Struggles Action Group

Welcome to the World Economic Forum Action Group Blog. This action group, formed in our Annual Meeting 2006 focuses on Regional Identities and Struggles. The aim of the Action Group  is to address how the business community can positively impact the regional economic growth and prosperity of Europe, Asia, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. Topics we hope to discuss (and disagree on) are: - Labor movements, regional immigration, economic and social integration - Social reform: combatting poverty and disease - National identity and religious struggles - New regional balance and emerging hotspots - Emergence, or not, of new leadership So, now it's time to introduce ourselves: two Mediterranean inquisitive minds (an Italian and a Lebanese) who usually write and think in less dry terms ( it's really late right now!!!!!) who will try to navigate you through the thousands of different sessions where the best minds will try providing real answers to serious questions! Jokes aside, we will try to be faithful reporters on the discussions we witness in Davos, on the one side, and critical analyzers on the other. We are hoping to keep you informed and entertained- and we promise to report the fashion faux-pas of the day. Hope you do the same! Thea Chiesa and Diana El-Azar (of course, you knew we were women from all our exclamation marks!)

German chancellor Angela Merkel to open Annual Meeting 2006

It's official. Germany's Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel will give the opening plenary speech at the upcoming Annual Meeting in Davos. The summit this year will focus on the need for a creative approach to global challenges under the umbrella theme 'The Creative Imperative'.

Said Dr Merkel: "We need to reinforce the feeling that global challenges can be tackled successfully. Germany will champion pragmatic and innovative solutions. In this context this year's Annual Meeting will provide an excellent platform for discussions."

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Ukraine

After President Yushchenko spoke at the Annual Meeting in Davos (session summary), the Forum agreed to organize an event in Ukraine. This cosy affair in mid-June is primarily reserved for partners and is a gesture of support for Yushchenko during his first year as the head of his country.

For business, it will be an occasion for Ukrainian and foreign executives to hobnob and size up potential opportunities.

We'd like to publish an interview with Mr Yushchenko in early June to find out what he hopes to achieve during the meeting and for Ukraine in general. The Forum's Europe team kindly agreed to help set this up so cross your fingers.

Passengers traffic over the next 20 years between Europe and China will have extreme growth

I just discovered Randy's blog, the blog of Boeing's VP of marketing who shares with us his predictions on the evolution of passengers traffic over the next 20 years between Europe and China. Isn't it amazing ?

2003

2023

The economic consequences of such an increase both in China and Europe are still difficult to understand, but a boom of tourism is already starting to happen.

The new face of Ukraine

« We welcome a true hero », said Executive chairman of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab, introducing Victor Yushchenko, the new President of Ukraine.

The documentary/movie broadcasted before he began his speech was to prove it. From electoral fraud to the victory of Yushchenko, from the mobilization of the Ukrainians to their tears of joy, it reminded the steps of a peaceful and democratic revolution embodied by Yushchenko.

With the “Orange revolution”, a new Ukraine has emerged was to repeat Ukraine President. Changes are on the way for “a free European Ukraine” with “European values”.

In a moving speech, he developed his hopes and plans for his country : its necessary transition to democracy that hardly began and its new dimension as a country that has a role to play in Europe. With an objective : achieving full membership in the EU. “We support a prosperous and democratic Ukraine in a strong and prosperous Europe”, said Yushchenko without a word for the Russian neighbour.

As he knows prosperity goes hand in hand with business, Yushchenko ended his speech inviting the audience to go to Ukraine to show support and launch a new dynamics (a “mini-forum” will probably be held in Kiev next summer where Statesmen and entrepreneurs will get the chance to meet).

His words were greeted with a standing ovation. This is a promising start, isn’t it ?

-- Benoit Petit

Germany is doing well, thank you (oh, yes, we can help too…)

After Jacques Chirac, Tony Blair, Bill Clinton and other political leaders, Gerhard Schroëder, Federal Chancellor of Germany, delivered his own "special message" before the audience of Davos (January 28, 2005) ; a message that indeed sounded different.

Of course, the proposals made by French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair have been mentioned (they make the buzz here in Davos). Of course, the aid given by Germany to help Asia after the Tsunami has been reminded.

Germany, as we know, feels deeply concerned with the fight against poverty and the need to sustain development. All those subjects have been dealt with here in Davos – both by Federal Chancellor and moderator Daniel Vasella, Novartis chairman. But only briefly during a short introduction.

Today, Schroëder's speech was mostly about Germany : its growth, its market share, its university system (that offers opportunities), its reforms needed, the drug industry, its position on Iraq and even the need for more day nurseries in Germany !

These, of course, are interesting topics. But, apparently, not interesting enough to make the audience of the WEF ask any question after the speech…

-- Benoit Petit

A Step Toward Change

The European Economic Summit is now over but what's left from a summit that drew together more than 600 people?

What did all those business leaders and over 20 heads of state and government achieve during the three day event?

When walking down the corridors of the conference centre there was a palpable buzz of swapping ideas, opinions, plans - and not just business cards! "Let's do it" reverberated around the meeting rooms.

But still the question - which I raised earlier in this blog - remains: what are the results of this Summit in Warsaw?

I was sitting in a session entitled Building a Europe for Business, when one business man stood up, took the microphone and asked the respected panellists this very question.

The answer he got made a lot of sense:

"This Summit serves as a platform, a catalyst, a stimulator in a positive sense," was the answer George Mallinckrodt gave. He is the president of Schroders.

And when you look at the recommendations that were put forward in this session as a first step towards Building a Europe for Business, what he said makes sense.

On this issue, Loic Le Meur, an entrepreneur and very special blogger here at the Forum!, put forward a laundry list of items that if acted upon, could have a significant impact.

Read his points in full noted in the session summary.

What I read there are things that I don't have to wait for politicians or people with big purses to do. For instance, the point "Celebrate successes; do not condemn failures" is something we ALL can do.

And should do! It's amazing what a smile, positive attitude and encouragement of others can do to someone's day or life.

Do you think Europe lacks a culture of encouraging others? Of entrepreneurship? Do you think Europeans don't take enough risks? Entrepreneurship is a pretty interesting topic since it reflects our cultures. Would you start your own business venture?

Parday On!

Are you holing a party tonight to celebrate the entry of 10 countries into the European Union?

Write here where and when you'll be partying on down!

Hopefully we can get as many people onto the streets of Warsaw, Riga, Vilnius, Tallinn - in fact all cities and towns around Europe - to CELEBRATE!

Russia out in the cold?

"We're not worried about EU enlargement" was the message a top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered to European leaders here at the European Economic Summit in Warsaw.

If you are Russian, would you agree? I'm not Russian, I've never been there and I'm curious to learn their perspective on enlargement.

You see, 8 of the 10 new EU members were former Soviet Republics and communist countries - now they're taking a BIG step towards Western Europe, Nato and the US. Is Moscow irritated? Quaking in its boots?

“Our only concern about the expansion of the European Union is that it should not result in the emergence on its territory of second grade citizens deprived of many rights and freedoms on the basis of their ethnicity,” is what Sergei Yastrzhembsky, an aide to Putin, said.

“Russia regards the expansion of the European Union as a good thing, positive for Russia,” he declared. ”Indeed, this process leads to the expansion of the zone of stability and promotes the development of democracy and the adoption of European legal standards in the states immediately bordering Russia.” (Read the full session summary)

One Polish woman told me that Russia is seriously concerned.

"Their sphere of influence is all of sudden being taken away from them. In their mind, they would like to have the good old days back."

And then there's question of Nato. "The Polish buffer is disappearing, and now Nato troops can come right up to the border with Russia," she said.

But these "buffer states" should be happy that they're no longer sandwiched between opposing systems, or world powers.

If you're from an accession state or Russia, are you happy about what's going to happen on 1 May?