Economic Forum Davos 2022: Ukraine in the spotlight

Author

Valery Moiseev

Yesterday, May 22, the World Economic Forum (WEF) started its work in Davos, Switzerland. Its theme is "History at a Turning Point: Government Policies and Business Strategies". For the first time since the start of the pandemic, the forum is being held in person, with at least 2,500 guests expected. The war in Ukraine, the pandemic situation, and overcoming climate change are among the main topics.

"The Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos this year will be the most timely and consequential Annual Meeting since the creation of the Forum over 50 years ago Klaus Schwab, WEF Founder, said. "The return of war, epidemics, the climate crisis: all these destructive forces have derailed the global recovery."

About 50 heads of states and governments will take part in the discussions in Davos.

President Volodymyr Zelenskнy will deliver a special address via video link today, May 23, at 12:15 Kyiv time. On the Forum website, the speech of the head of the Ukrainian state opens the sessions marked as "must-see".

Right after Zelenskyy’s half-hour speech, moderated by Schwab, another must-see session "Spirit of Resilience: Ukrainian Voices" will be held with the participation of the following speakers: First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko, MP Yevheniia Kravchuk, CEO of Smart Holding Julia Kiryanova, and Kyiv Hub representative Uliana Avtonomova.

Then a discussion with the Klitschko brothers will begin, and the mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko will discuss plans for rebuiding Kyiv and the necessary assistance for this at a separate session on May 26.

The WEF official program for May 23 also includes a session dedicated to responding to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. On May 25, WEF participants will communicate with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in the afternoon, after that his press conference will be held in the evening.

Ukraine is also mentioned in the Forum's agenda when discussing the global food crisis and energy security, Cold War 2.0, and European security, new migration flows, revising the EU's partnership policy, discussions about the return of the West to the world stage, and the possible death of globalization. A separate session on May 26 will be devoted to the work of journalists covering the war in Ukraine.

On May 24, the Ukrainian House in Davos will host the international Diia Summit Brave Ukraine with a discussion of developing mobile networks and creating stations for satellite Internet, transforming management and a new policy for storing and exchanging data, radically simplifying public services, and developing neobank.

Ukrainian House this year was organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, Western NIS Enterprise Fund, and Horizon Capital.

Wednesday, May 25, will be devoted in the Ukrainian House to discussing the European prospects for Ukraine and rebuilding the country in the amount of up to $1 trillion. The participation of Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, the heads of the EBRD, IFC, and the Swedish SIFEM fund has been announced.

On Monday, May 23, the Russia War Crimes House exhibition will open in a building that has served as the site of the Russia House in Davos for many years. The exhibition is organized by the Pinchuk Foundation and the PinchukArtCentre in partnership with the Office of the President, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the outlet Ukrayinska Pravda, and the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers.

On Wednesday, May 25, the Pinchuk Foundation will organize a traditional discussion at the Ukrainian Breakfast: "What will be the further course of the war and what will the future of Ukraine and the world look like after it ends?"

The WEF will close on May 26.

For the first time in decades, the Russian delegation will not participate in the WEF. The Forum suspended relations with Russia amid the U.S. and EU sanctions.