World Economic Davos Forum 2021 : Agenda, Speeches, & Discussions: Daily Rolling Coverage

Tuesday January 26
“Driving responsible industry transformation and growth”

Wednesday January 27
“Enhancing stewardship of the global commons”

Thursday January 28
“Harnessing the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution”

Friday January 29
“Advancing global and regional cooperation”

We will be bringing analysis and commentary of each day’s agenda during the week, with an Executive Summary next Monday, February 1st. To ensure you receive this, please obtain your complimentary subscription here

The World Economic Forum, or Davos (as it is usually held there) is an annual event often looked at for political signals between the larger nations. As such commentary involving China and the United States will be especially focused on with a new American President just in office amid the past two years of trade friction between the countries. However, apart from this major focal point, a great deal of effort will be spent on global, rather than bilateral challenges, and we shall be looking at the impact of these as opposed to purely the US-China rivalry. This feed will be updated daily.

Comments On Monday’s Davos Session, January 26

Xi Jinping Speech
The days media headlines concentrated on the 20-minute speech by China’s President Xi Jinping, with him stating that history shows that antagonism and confrontation will hurt everybody. Xi’s speech comes as the new United States Biden administration is discussing its China strategy with US allies and has been received as ‘veiled threats’ by some US media.

A selection of media headlines and links are as follows:

• China’s Xi Warns Against Confrontation In Veiled Message To Biden
• “Arrogant Isolation Will Always Fail” Says Xi Jinping At World Economic Forum Event
• Davos: China’s Xi Urges Cooperation To Reboot Global Economy

There is a full transcript of Xi’s speech here and the live speech with English language translation here.

Elsewhere, important development sessions were held as follows (click headlines for video access to the discussions):

Responding To The Covid-19 Crisis In Asia
Nearly 90 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported worldwide, with more than 1.8 million lives lost. This Panel examined the most effective response and recovery efforts, with recommendations on how businesses and governments can improve and increase their collaboration.

Building Crisis-Resistant Healthcare Systems In A Post Covid World 
Health systems face not only shocks, such as pandemics, conflict and natural disasters, but also chronic structural, governance and leadership problems. What policies, practices and partnerships are needed to radically improve health system effectiveness and resilience? This session is associated with the World Economic Forum’s Partnership for Health System Sustainability and Resilience.

Restoring Economic Growth (Option 1) 
The World Bank is forecasting that most countries will fall into recession in 2020, with global GDP contracting by more than 5%. This session examined how to restore growth, with recommendations on how businesses and governments can collaborate more effectively on a new economic agenda that enhances productivity, sustainability and shared prosperity in 2021.

Restoring Economic Growth (Option 2) 

Building Net-Zero Cities (Option 1)
Cities account for 75% of the planet’s carbon dioxide emissions, largely due to energy usage in buildings and mobility. What approaches and partnerships are needed for cities to transition to a net-zero carbon future while ensuring system resilience, job creation and improving health through better air quality? This session discusses Net-Zero Carbon Cities: An Integrated Approach, and the Alliance for Clean Air.

Building Net-Zero Cities (Option 2)

New Pathways To Economic Transformation 
What policies, incentives and new metrics are needed to steer economies towards greater inclusivity, sustainability and resilience? This session discusses a Dashboard for the New Economy, Closing the Innovation Gap Accelerators, Shaping the Markets of Tomorrow, and Global Investment Policy and Practice.

Developing The Evolution Of Stakeholder Capitalism 
Discussing a set of universal environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics to allow companies in all industries and geographies to measure and report performance. This session will look at how companies should go about measuring and disclosing this information, and how investors and governments can come together to allow stakeholder capitalism to take root.

Resetting Digital Currencies (Option 1) 
COVID-19 has accelerated the long-term shift from cash, with an 8% increase in non-cash payments in the euro area in 2020. Meanwhile, central bank digital currencies are emerging, potentially transforming how people use money worldwide.
What policies, practices and partnerships are needed to leverage the opportunities posed by the rise of digital currencies? This session deals with a Digital Currency Governance Consortium, and Reimagining Regulation: Pathways to Digital Currency.

Related Reading

• Asia Cooperation Dialogue, 17th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting: “The New Normal and Safe and Healthy Tourism”
• China’s Foreign Minister At The Belt & Road Forum For International Cooperation: Analysis Of Wang Yi’s Statements, And The Impact On China FDI & ODI In 2021.