The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) annual meeting in the Swiss alpine setting of Davos got underway on Jan. 20.
Heads of state, diplomats, and business leaders from around the globe have flown to the luxurious resort for the four-day event, which kicks off with an introductory gala on Monday evening.
Among the big names attending are President of the European Union’s executive commission Ursula von der Leyen, President Javier Milei of Argentina, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The leaders of organizations such as NATO, the International Monetary Fund, United Nations, World Health Organization, and the World Trade Organization will also be make an appearance.
President Donald Trump is also expected to address the forum via video link, according to Borge Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister who heads the WEF. She said last week that Trump would “join us digitally, online, live in a dialogue with our participants” on Thursday afternoon.
Brende added that the forum, which is now in its 55th year, expects “additional, high-level representation” from the administration once confirmed by the U.S. Senate, but didn’t specify who from the incoming president’s team would attend.
During his first term in office, Trump attended the Davos conference on two occasions.
However, this year’s gathering is also notable for its list of absentees, with only one head of a G7 nation, namely Scholz of Germany, attending in person, while the leaders of the United States, Canada, Japan, the UK, France, and Italy all missing the event.
India’s Narendra Modi and China’s Xi Jinping are also no shows at the 2025 conference.
It adds that 350 government leaders, including 60 heads of state and governments, “will gather in Davos-Klosters to address pressing challenges and shape emerging opportunities.”
Dubbed “A Call for Collaboration in the Intelligent Age” among the topics up for discussion are the future of Syria (its new foreign minister is expected to attend) after the fall of Bashar Assad last month; climate change, artificial intelligence, global trade and economic growth, and wars in places such as Ukraine, Sudan, the Middle East, and further afield.
Forum organizers last week published a survey conducted among 900 experts for its Global Risks Report, which found that conflicts between countries was the top concern, followed by extreme weather, economic confrontation, misinformation and disinformation, and “societal polarization”—a nod to the gap between rich and poor.
Ahead of the event WEF founder Klaus Schwab said: “Davos is unique in bringing together close to 3,000 decision makers from governments, business, and civil society at the beginning of the year to address the challenges of a world in deep transformation.
“Despite divergent positions and great uncertainties, the Annual Meeting 2025 will foster a spirit of cooperation and constructive optimism with the objective of shaping the forthcoming Intelligent Age in a more sustainable and inclusive way.”
As in previous years, protesters calling for economic equality, higher taxes for the rich, and action on climate change, took to the streets, blocking roads to Davos, causing traffic issue sand delays.
Climate activists sprayed green paint over Amazon.com Inc’s base in the resort on Monday and disrupted helicopter landings.
Swiss police closed down both protests, removing around 10 protesters who were blocking two vehicles at the heliport entrance with bright yellow banners saying “TaxTheSuperRich” and others who had defaced Amazon’s base.
