Davos is little more than a global talk show

The worlds biggest talk show is on: the World Economic Forums (WEF) 54th Annual Meeting at Davos began this Monday and ends on Friday..

The WEF website says more than 300 public figures will participate, including more than 60 heads of state and government, together with an estimated 1,600 business leaders, apart from chiefs of multilateral institutions like the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Trade Organization, etc..

To the discerning, this years theme of Rebuilding Trust (aimed at restoring collective agency, and reinforcing the fundamental principles of transparency, consistency and accountability among leaders") seems ironic, coming as it does at a time when the world is more fractured than it has been for decades..

Davoss 2024 agenda focuses on four key areas: Achieving security and cooperation in a fractured world, creating growth and jobs for a new era, artificial intelligence (AI) as a driving force for the economy and society, and a long-term strategy for climate, nature and energy..

Except that the world has not seen much progress on any of these fronts, despite the existence of multilateral entities dedicated to such aims with major powers at their top table: the United Nations for security, the Bretton Woods twins for economic growth, Unesco for AI and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, among others..

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