Today is Thursday, January 18, 2024.
“The world is not at a single inflection point. It is at multi inflection points.” according to Ursula Von Der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
Indeed.
Conflicts in multiple regions continue to threaten stability while political fragmentation is increasingly impacting global cohesion towards key issues, such as climate, food and water crisis.
Over 60 heads of state are or have been at Davos 2024 since last Monday, January 15.
We will focus on what two of them said, one today and another one tomorrow, last day of meetings.
Today, some highlights from the "acid" speech of António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations and tomorrow complement with what was said by John Kerry, diplomat and climate envoy from the United States.
Here goes António Guterres.
"We seem powerless to act together. These rapid climate changes should disturb us well".
"At the same time, every new interaction of generative artificial intelligence (AI) increases the risk of serious unintended consequences. Technology has enormous potential for sustainable development but as the IMF has just warned us, it is very likely it will worsens inequality in the World".
"Now, these two issues, climate and AI, are exhaustively discussed by governments, by the media and by leaders here in Davos. And yet, we have not yet an effective global strategy to deal with either. And the reason is simple: geopolitical divides are preventing us from coming together around global solutions for global challenges. Little wonder, that people everywhere are losing faith in governments, institutions, and financial and economic system".
We managed to live through Cold War Era. "I strongly believe it is possible to prevent this disastrous scenario. I am confident we can build a new multipolar order".
"And the only way to manage this complexity and avoid us sliding to caos is through a reformed inclusive, networked multilateralism."
"Political instability is adding to economic insecurity. Meanwhile, inequality and injustice are reaching obscene levels, a serious obstacle to sustainable development. Oxfam reports that the World's five richest men - and they are men - have more than doubled their fortune since 2020, at a rate of US$ 14 million per hour.”
“At the same time, more than half of the World, nearly 5 billion people have become poorer. The World Bank warns, we are heading towards the worse half decade for growth in 30 years. And many of the countries battered by climate caos are in a financial shock hold. More than half of the World poorest 75 countries face debt distress. Their interest payments have quadrupled in recent years".
"This is fuelling resentment and anger".
"Dear friends, when global norms collapse, so does trust. I am personally shocked by the systematic undermining of principles and standards we used to take for granted. I am outraged that so many countries and companies are pursuing their own narrow interests without any consideration to our shared future or our common goals".
"It's essential to building a safer more stable and prosperous World. So, dear friends, the institutions and frameworks of global governance, from the Security Council to the Bretton Woods System, were created 80 years ago."
"We can't build a future to our grandchildren, with a system built for our grandparents".
"I urge everybody, I urge you to influence, to prevent further damage and to get our World back on track to safety, to prosperity and to peace. And I thank you".
Click at the image below if you want to watch the whole speech, about 15 minutes.
