Amidst geopolitical upheavals and intricate economic challenges unsettling a fragmented world, the World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth, and Energy for Development will convene 1,000 global leaders from 92 countries over the next two days, commencing today. The aim is to foster global dialogue and devise practical, cooperative, and enduring solutions to common global challenges.
The meeting is structured around three key themes revitalizing global collaboration, forging a compact for inclusive growth, and catalyzing action on energy for development. Drawing on the momentum of the inaugural Growth Summit held in Switzerland last year, this gathering aims to advance forward-looking strategies for addressing interlinked crises, all while acknowledging and grappling with immediate trade-offs.
In a curtain-raiser release, the WEF articulated its intent to narrow the widening North-South gap on critical issues such as emerging economic policies, the energy transition, and geopolitical shocks. This commitment underscores the organization’s dedication to fostering dialogue and cooperation among diverse stakeholders.
Through these concerted efforts, the World Economic Forum seeks to facilitate meaningful progress towards resolving shared global challenges, paving the way for a more sustainable and inclusive future.
Amidst escalating geopolitical tensions and widening socio-economic disparities on a global scale, the call for international collaboration and purposeful dialogue has never been more urgent, remarked Borge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum. He emphasized the significance of the Special Meeting 2024 as an opportunity for leaders from diverse sectors and regions to translate ideas into actionable solutions, addressing the myriad interconnected challenges confronting societies worldwide.
Highlighting the importance of revitalizing international collaboration at this pivotal juncture, Faisal F. Alibrahim, Minister of Economy and Planning of Saudi Arabia, underscored the Kingdom’s role as a dynamic global platform for thought leadership, solutions, and action. Hosting this critical meeting in Saudi Arabia, he emphasized the nation’s commitment to mobilizing its diplomatic resources to chart a mutually beneficial path to prosperity for the global community.
Alibrahim stressed Saudi Arabia’s dedication to ensuring that progress in one part of the world does not come at the expense of others, affirming the nation’s determination to collaboratively shape a secure, stable, and sustainable shared future.
During the two-day special meeting, over 220 public figures from more than 60 countries will convene under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.