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Open Economies - Sunday night inside the World Economic Forum

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Sunday night inside the World Economic Forum

  • To: "'openeconomies(at)cyber.law.harvard.edu'" <openeconomies(at)cyber.law.harvard.edu>
  • Subject: Sunday night inside the World Economic Forum
  • From: "Moore, James" <jmoore(at)geopartners.com>
  • Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2002 01:12:13 -0500
Open Economies was a participant in the World Economic Forum meetings two
weeks ago in New York.  I sent the following message from within the
meeting, but unfortunately the mail server ate the message.  Here, a bit
delayed, is my post.  I'm also attaching a copy of the full WEF agenda,
summarizing all meetings and listing the panelists and speakers.  I think
you will find browsing the range of topics fascinating.  The agenda ranges
from the predictable but obviously relevant, such as "Rethinking the IMF and
the World Bank: More Reform or Complete Redesign?" and "The Future of
Europe: Hard Choices Ahead" to the surprising and even shocking, such as
"Global Health: Your Business and Mine" with the message that HIV/AIDS is
one of the biggest economic issues facing us all, to "What is Sacred in
Today's World" featuring twenty-seven leaders of the world's major
religions, in workshop format.  The agenda opens with a thoughtful essay on
the fragility of our world.

Dear colleagues,

This is written from inside my hotel room at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel,
Sunday evening, February 3, 2002.  This is day five of living inside this
grand but aging hotel, surrounded by a "security zone" several blocks wide
patrolled by hundreds of NYC police and other security--and inside the hotel
there are additional security people of all types walking up and down the
halls constantly.  That said, being cooped up here certainly promotes
meeting among the 2000 or so people who are here. 

This year's World Economic Forum in New York (so-called "Davos in NY") is
brimming over with Open Economies' type of topics and issues, which is good
news, as far as I'm concerned.  First of all, unlike past Forums, this one
is much concerned with reaching out to the world, and with promoting
inclusive economic development.  Bono and Bill Gates made a joint appearance
promoting forgiveness for third world debt.  A great deal of attention is
focused on Africa, and how to catalyze digital development.  E.g. President
Mbeki of South Africa is here and highly visible on the issue, as well as
President Wade of Senegal.  President Wade (pronounced "wad") is undertaking
a campaign of initiatives to promote digital Senegal. The initiatives
include cutting tariffs on computer equipment from 25% to 5% (already done)
and lowering tariffs on telecom equipment to the same level (in process).
Senegal is very focused on education in computing and technology, hoping to
raise a new generation of technology savvy citizens. President Wade is a
former private sector attorney who takes the perspective that every major
business has a CIO, and a nation should, as well.  He has appointed a
national CIO for Senegal-who is attending this meeting with him.  

On other fronts here at the Forum, The Southern African Development
Community report on e-strategies, which I believe I shared in draft form
with you on in Open Economies community, is to be released tomorrow.  In
addition a recently launched initiative that seems to have the support of
both African governments and businesses--including those in northern Africa,
the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), was the focus of
several sessions.  NEPAD is notable in that it seems to be heavily oriented
toward opening up the intra-African market, and creating a kind of "common
market of Africa" with unified trade and business regulations and relatively
open borders.  Also notable is that it includes northern Africa, for example
Algeria is very active, western Africa, such as Senegal, as well as southern
Africa.

We are getting a good response to Open Economies at both this WEF meeting as
well as at the overlapping meeting of the United Nations ICT Task Force, to
which we presented today.  We have may promising openings for collaboration.


 <<World Economic Forum Annual_Meeting_2002_Jan.pdf>> Overall, it feels like
a "dialogue of civilizations" (Kofi Annan's term) is certainly needed, and
more people than ever are waking up to this need.

More later.  Regards, Jim

Attachment: World Economic Forum Annual_Meeting_2002_Jan.pdf
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