5 things to know about Davos 2020

Foto: Tanjug/AP

In the eastern part of Switzerland, in the canton of Graubunden, there is a small town that every year, at the end of January, becomes the center of the world. Davos brings together economic and political elites, and here's what we need to know about its content this year.

President Trump will be there

Recommended

Last year US President Donald Trump canceled his participation in Davos due to the partial shutdown of the federal government because of the Democrats' "stubborness" around the security of the country's border. This year he should give a speech on January 21, while the topics could concern global trade and relations with China, in the first phase of the trade agreement.

Climate change and the health of all of us in the future are also high on the agenda. There is speculation that he could also raise the issue of political tensions in the Middle East, while it is interesting to note that the Iranian government's delegation canceled its presence at this year's Davos forum. He is also likely to take the opportunity to address Democrats in the US.

Irish government representatives won't attend year

Although their arrival was planned, representatives of the government of Ireland canceled their appearance in Davos because of the start of the general election campaign. This decision means that this is the first time since the Fine Gael party joined the government in 2011 that Ireland will not have its representatives at the WEF.

This surprise is likely to be one of the topics of discussion at this year's gathering, including trade tensions, Brexit, climate change and international tax reforms, which could hit Ireland hard in the future. However, as expected, Davos will be attended by Irishman Phil Hogan, European Commissioner for Trade.

Can we save the planet?

This topic, as expected, will be led by Greta Thunberg, a teenage activist from Sweden, known for her "harsh" and theatrical language. But she will not be alone: ​​Marco Lambertini, Director-General of the World Wildlife Fund, , Jennifer Morgan, CEO of Greenpeace International, Al Gore, a former US politician and winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, will also speak on the subject.

The World Economic Forum went out of its way this year and decided to put some effort into launching this topic, as it received some criticism last year: namely, the question of world leaders constantly talking about climate change while flying on private jets. Measures that should be implemented in the future concern local suppliers, alternatives to introducing protein into the diet to reduce meat consumption, 100 percent renewable electricity sources...

Where are the British?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has banned his ministers from appearing in Davos. But, not just the government is in focus. According to the Telegraph, the number of British delegations who will attend this year's World Economic Forum is the lowest in the past 10 years. There will be 239 Britons in Davos, unlike in 2011 when there were 339.

The question is whether they know something that others do not, or perhaps they hope that while their competitors are in Davos, they will be able to reach some clever deals under the radar. Or maybe they are just busy preparing for Brexit.

There's also the absence of women

Davos has long been reserved for men, something that Samuel P. Huntington, a Harvard political scientist, wrote about in 2004 when he mentioned "an emerging global superclass of Davos men." That phrase has stuck on ever since, and this year only 24 percent of participants at the prestigious World Forum will be women - or is that number perhaps a success compared to past gatherings?

However, the Forum says that the problem of the lack of women is not only their problem, but an indicator of the situation in society, where there are very few women in leadership positions.

(Telegraf Biznis/WEF)