The World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting has proved its power time after time in setting the global agenda, identifying emerging issues and challenges, and engaging leaders from all walks of life in dialogue, initiative and action. In the same way, Global Agenda seeks to lead opinion and debate on all the key issues facing the world. It aims to be thought-provoking and controversial, but balanced and fair. And it tries to make room for voices from all sides of society. We live in deeply unsettled, challenging times. Many of the certainties on which we have come to depend in recent years are in doubt. In place of trust lie scepticism, suspicion and fear. It is more vital than ever that all sides of the debate are heard – from the worlds of business, civil society and government. Like the World Economic Forum itself, Global Agenda aims to be a forum for discussing issues, testing ideas and initiating change.
Increasing government surveillance worldwide raises tough questions for democracy and civil liberty. Left unchecked, the deployment of intrusive new technologies poses a profound threat to individual privacy. What we need, says Barry Steinhardt, is stronger regulation to ensure that such technology is used fairly – by governments and businesses alike The vision of the future…
The asset management business faces a period of fundamental rethinking and restructuring, says David Spina. The continued willingness of individuals to invest for the long term depends on the ability of institutional investors and investment managers to change what they do and the way they do it The past decade has seen significant changes in…
We should not avoid taking risks just because the world suddenly seems more dangerous. On the contrary, says Ralph Shrader, we need to take them more than ever. But we must make a better job of deciding which risks to take, managing the consequences of those decisions and becoming resilient to the risks that we…
When six air-to-surface missiles go missing a week before more than 20 world leaders, including George W Bush, are due in town, security is always likely to be an item high on the agenda. That was certainly the case in Thailand in October 2003 when the country hosted the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meeting…
Sustainable development is the key phrase in the developing world, and it’s an idea that is getting plenty of media coverage. But what exactly is sustainable development? Can it succeed? And what role do big business, governments and NGOs have to play? Sudip Roy reports Over the next few years an oil pipeline will be…
The collapse of the Growth and Stability Pact highlights the economic challenges facing Europe. If it hadn’t been for the fast-falling dollar, there would have been little to cheer as the euro celebrated its fifth birthday earlier this month. Sudip Roy reports As early birthday surprises go, it was hardly the most welcome. The decision…
Humanitarian intervention was supposed to have gone the way of the 1990s. The use of military force across borders to stop mass killing was seen by many as a luxury of an era in which national security concerns were less pressing and problems of human security could come to the fore. Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo,…
After three unusually tough years, a US-centric global economy is awaiting sustained revival with bated breath. There are hopes that the great American job machine, central to any growth spark, is finally revving up. But these hopes are not likely to be realized – and the revival is unlikely to conform to the hiring-led upturns…
The Aids epidemic is perhaps the greatest global challenge of our generation. It is an epidemic without precedent that is still spreading rapidly. In November 2003, UNAIDS and World Health Organization (WHO) published our annual estimates for the spread of HIV in the world. The findings are staggering. There were more infections than ever: five…
Building a robust and reliable business infrastructure is key to ensuring that China achieves its vast commercial promise. As Bill Parrett explains, the new business infrastructure must be based on two foundations: accountability and corporate governance It is common wisdom in the business world that China is a country of immense promise. The basic facts…
