Two years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, global leaders will convene for the World Economic Forum’s Davos Agenda 2022, from 17-21 January. It will be the first global platform this year to provide an opportunity for key heads of state and government, together with chief executives and leaders from civil society and international organizations, to reflect on the “State of the World” and shape solutions for critical challenges in the year ahead.
Radically different pandemic experiences have exacerbated global divisions. Vaccine inequities, combined with new strains, have also slowed international economic recovery. However, as the Global Risks Report 2022 makes clear, COVID-19 is only one of the critical global challenges which may become unmanageable unless world leaders prioritize proactive collaboration. Accordingly, the Davos Agenda will focus on driving concerted action among key global stakeholders.
Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, said: “Everyone hopes that in 2022 the COVID-19 pandemic, and the crises that accompanied it, will finally begin to recede. But major global challenges await us, from climate change to rebuilding trust and social cohesion. To address them, leaders will need to adopt new models, look long term, renew cooperation and act systemically. The Davos Agenda 2022 is the starting point for the dialogue needed for global cooperation in 2022.”
Through Special Addresses and panels with leaders of G20 economies and international organizations, the Davos Agenda 2022 will provide crucial insights into a range of critical challenges. Participants will hear first-hand how these leaders will drive action in these and other areas.
World leaders delivering “State of the World” Special Addresses will include:
Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India;Kishida Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan; AntónioGuterres, Secretary-General, United Nations; Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission; Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Australia; Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia; Naftali Bennett, Prime Minister of Israel; Janet L. Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury of the United States; YemiOsinbajo, Vice-President of Nigeria.
Additional “State of the World” Special Addresses with G20 leaders will be announced tomorrow.
The Davos Agenda 2022 will also mobilize government and business leaders, international organizations and civil society to share their outlook, insights and plans relating to the most urgent global issues such as climate change, social contracts and vaccine equity. These sessions will also provide a platform for a wider connection, enabling the global public to engage and be included in the conversation.
Key sessions will include:
- COVID-19 – What’s next? (17 January)
- Technology Cooperation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (17 January)
- Renewing a Global Social Contract (18 January)
- Meeting the Challenge of Vaccine Equity (18 January)
- Navigating the Energy Transition (19 January)
- Accelerating and Scaling up Climate Innovation (19 January)
- ESG Metrics for a Sustainable Future (20 January)
- Live from Space: The Next Frontier for Knowledge and Action (20 January)
- Global Economic Outlook (21 January)
- Building Future Preparedness (21 January)
The programme will feature:
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO); Fatih Birol, Executive Director, International Energy Agency; José Pedro Castillo Terrones, President of Peru; Ivan Duque, President of Colombia; Anthony S. Fauci, Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health of the United States of America; Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment of Egypt; Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF); Alejandro Giammattei, President of Guatemala; Al Gore, Vice-President of the United States (1993-2001) and Chairman and Co-Founder, Generation Investment Management; Paulo Guedes, Minister of Economy of Brazil; Paula Ingabire, Minister of Information Communication Technology and Innovation of Rwanda; Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda; John F. Kerry, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate of the United States of America; Christine Lagarde, President, European Central Bank; Guillermo Lasso, President of Ecuador; Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, World Trade Organization (WTO); Abdulaziz Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia; Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, European Commission; François Villeroy de Galhau, Governor of the Central Bank of France; Sarah bint Yousif Al-Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology, Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology of the United Arab Emirates. Others are expected to confirm.
Forum flagship reports, initiatives and the latest book by Klaus Schwab
On 7 January, Klaus Schwab published his latest book, The Great Narrative, co-authored with Thierry Malleret. The Great Narrative explores how we can build a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient future. The book was based on interviews conducted with 50 of the world’s foremost global thinkers and opinion-makers, who come from a broad spectrum of academic disciplines and diverse geographies and backgrounds.
On 11 January, the World Economic Forum released its Global Risks Report 2022. The flagship annual report – which this year saw climate risks dominate the list of top concerns – is an important marker for prioritizing action in public and private sectors over the coming year.
On 26 January, the World Economic Forum will release its Global Competitiveness Report 2021-2022. Over the past 40 years, this flagship report has contributed to shaping economic policies globally by recognizing that productivity is key to achieving high standards of living and human development
The Davos Agenda 2022 will also mark the launch of several World Economic Forum initiatives to accelerate the race to net-zero emissions, the economic opportunity of nature-positive solutions and cyber resilience. Other launches on a diverse range of critical topics will also take place between 17-21 January. These include strengthening the resilience of global value chains, building economies in fragile markets through humanitarian investing, bridging the vaccine manufacturing gap and using data solutions to prepare for the next pandemic.
