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A conference at Davos discussing the future of healthcare.
I hope that the budgets allocated for aid were significantly larger. I also hope that every country would meet the UN’s goal of spending 0.7% of their national income on aid.
According to Gates, his foundation has allocated a historic amount of $8.6 billion towards healthcare this year, which is a $2 billion increase from previous years. However, he cautioned that there is a possibility of healthcare in impoverished nations being neglected on the global scale.
Gates says:
I would be thrilled to host a worldwide health conference similar to COP28, with a turnout of 70,000 individuals.
Gates expressed concern about the potential decrease in the US’s aid budget due to the outcome of the 2024 election in Iowa, where a certain individual (who has recently achieved a significant victory) was not directly mentioned.
Currently, the United States allocates 0.23% of its national income towards aid. However, Gates stated:
“The outcome of the election will have an impact in the US, potentially resulting in a decrease in the aid budget.”
At the Davos conference discussing the future of healthcare, Gates urged wealthy nations to meet the UN’s goal of allocating 0.7% of their GDP towards aid.
He said:
“Since the beginning of the 21st century, there has been significant advancement in decreasing child mortality rates, with a decrease from 10 million deaths annually to 5 million. However, since 2019, the number of deaths has remained constant.”
Gates stated that the international community is not on track to reach the 2030 objective of decreasing child mortality to 2.5 million per year. The primary cause for this is that developing nations are unable to allocate sufficient resources towards healthcare.
He warned:
There are two aspects to making progress: upstream research and distribution. The research component is progressing smoothly, but the distribution aspect, or the delivery process, is currently at risk.
Switzerland.
Three potential flash points – Ukraine, the Middle East and Taiwan – threatened to overshadow the meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) aimed at rebuilding trust after the series of setbacks suffered in the past four years, including war, the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis….
More here.
The World Economic Forum’s annual meeting is taking place in Davos, where influential figures such as world leaders, business executives, community leaders, economists, activists, and journalists have come together for the first day of the event.
Although the current temperature in Switzerland is quite cold at -12 degrees Celsius, delegates are still making their way through the snow or being driven through traffic jams. However, there is an increase in geopolitical tensions.
Today, we will be listening to a speech by Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy. He is seeking support from his allies as the conflict with Russia approaches its second year.
Zelenskiy is said to be arranging a meeting with Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JP Morgan Chase, during his trip, as he works to garner economic and military backing for Kiev.
Bloomberg reports that Zelenskiy’s goal is to increase the funds available to Ukraine for its efforts against Russia.
A summit at Davos was held to address the issue of peace in Ukraine, but the discussions did not include Russia and ultimately did not result in a significant resolution.
Today, Ursula von der Leyen and China’s premier, Li Qiang, will both speak to delegates.
Qiang is heading a significant group from the government to attend the World Economic Forum of this year. Yesterday, Qiang held a meeting with Viola Amherd, the President of Switzerland. They signed a joint statement to strengthen bilateral relations and enhance an established free trade agreement.
The situation in the Middle East is a pressing issue for leaders at the Davos conference, as UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron recently cautioned that the global dashboard is showing warning signs. He is also expected to attend the conference this week.
Later today, Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, will deliver a speech.
According to Karen Harris, a partner at Bain & Company, the main topic for discussion at Davos is the critical question of whether the past four years will be known for causing significant upheaval or for marking the beginning of a major split.
Harris explains:
If we view our recent history through the lens of disruption, then the years after 2024 will likely be less eventful in comparison to the past few years. This will bring a sense of relief for both leaders and markets. The main focus during this time will be on rebuilding and returning to a state of normalcy.
“However, let us imagine that 2020-2023 was not a disturbance, but instead a significant turning point in history – a moment where major themes and trends took a sharp turn. If this perspective of divergence proves to be accurate, then the cycle of tumultuous events leading to unpredictable responses will resume in 2024. The world will continue to be shaken and unstable, possibly even beyond that year.”
The agenda
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At 8:15am Central European Time / 7:15am Greenwich Mean Time, there will be a conversation among experts about the impact of high interest rates. The panel will include Gita Gopinath, the First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, and François Villeroy de Galhau, the governor of the Central Bank of France.
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At 8:15am CET and 7:15am GMT, there will be a panel discussion on whether generative AI can be considered the Steam Engine of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
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At 9:45am Central European Time or 8:45am Greenwich Mean Time, there will be a discussion with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, who is the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs for Qatar.
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At 10:50am Central European Time / 9:50am Central European Time, Li Qiang, the Premier of the People’s Republic of China, will give a special address.
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At 11:20am Central European Time (CET) or 10:20am Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, will give a special address.
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At 1pm CET / Noon GMT, there will be a discussion titled “Securing an Insecure World” featuring Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary-general of NATO.
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At 2:15pm Central European Time or 1:15pm Greenwich Mean Time, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, will give a special address.
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At 4:30pm Central European Time / 3:30pm Greenwich Mean Time, there will be a discussion between Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, and Klaus Schwab, the founder of the World Economic Forum.
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At 5pm Central European Time or 4pm Greenwich Mean Time, Jake Sullivan, the US National Security Advisor, will be giving a special address.
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At 5:30pm Central European Time or 4:30pm Greenwich Mean Time, there will be a discussion with Bisher Hani Al Khasawneh, the prime minister of Jordan.
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At 5:30pm Central European Time or 4:30pm Greenwich Mean Time, there will be a panel discussion on Industrial Policy 2.0 featuring Jonathan Reynolds, the Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade.
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At 6:45pm Central European Time / 5:45pm Greenwich Mean Time, there will be a briefing held by Chief Economists.
Source: theguardian.com
