World Economic Forum focuses on COVID-19 and economic recovery on first day

As the mutant strain of Omicron raged around the world, a number of international leaders and experts on the first day of the World Economic Forum tried to figure out how the world can work together to fight the epidemic and prepare for the next large-scale epidemic, and A blueprint for how to rebuild the economy, boost growth, tackle climate change and other major challenges facing the world today.

The 2022 World Economic Forum (WEF) "Davos Agenda" unfolds by video on Monday (17 January). Affected by the new coronavirus mutation virus Omicron, the forum held every year in the Swiss ski resort Davos has been held by video for the second consecutive year.

The important agenda on the first day of the forum includes speeches by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and UN Secretary-General Guterres, as well as scholars and experts on the next step of the new crown virus (COVID-19) epidemic, and cooperation on the fourth industrial revolution topic to discuss.

Several leaders stressed the importance of global cooperation on issues including uneven distribution of vaccines, economic recovery and climate change, with Xi and Modi calling for more investment in their respective countries.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his speech that during the epidemic, people saw how India experienced a "one planet, one health" vision and provided vaccines to assist other countries. This is a prospect that everyone should work together. Climate change affects everyone, and today's international multilateral institutions must be reformed to adopt a more democratic approach to today's global order and challenges.

"Today, more than ever, all nations need each other's assistance - this is the only path to a better future."

Modi also said that as a strong democracy, India brings a gift to the world, "it is giving the world a bouquet of hope", which has nothing to do with democracy. Unshakable confidence, the technology needed in the 21st century, and the temperament and talent of India, the multicultural and linguistic environment of India, is a powerful force that not only India but the world needs.

He also said that India is committed to becoming a trusted partner of the world, and India's technology can bring vitality to global partners. He welcomes all countries to invest in India. "This is the best time to invest in India."

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pointed out at the forum that the world needs to urgently address three issues in the process of epidemic and economic recovery. One is the equality and fairness of vaccines; the other is the reform of the global financial system, especially in the Low-income countries are facing the disadvantage of the slowest economic growth in a generation; the third is to support developing countries' actions to combat climate change, especially as global emissions are scheduled to increase by 14% by 2030.

Guterres urges governments around the world, the private sector and international financial institutions to work together to provide low-income countries with investments to rebuild their economies; drug makers to ensure equal access to vaccines, support countries to produce tests and treatments locally and share Professional technology.

He said the global financial system must be restructured to reduce inequality and address investment risks, especially in vulnerable areas involving climate change.

"Recovery remains difficult and inconsistent, with lingering pandemics, continued challenges in the labor market, frequent supply chain disruptions, high inflation and a looming debt trap," he said. , especially in the global business world.”

Several experts, including Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to U.S. President Biden, and Stephane Bancel, CEO of the new crown vaccine maker Moderna, also expressed their views on the development of the new crown epidemic.

Fauci said it's still too early to know if the new Omicron mutant strain will turn the coronavirus from a pandemic into an "endemic" because the strain can escape The immune system responds to some vaccines, and higher infection rates will make herd immunity more difficult.

The medical community also doesn't want to create a vaccine booster after each mutant strain, he said, "so you'll be running after it forever."

As for why the United States, as an advanced, developed and rich country, cannot control the epidemic, Fauci said that the medical resources in the United States are unequal, some people do not have medical care, and those groups have higher hospitalization and mortality rates than the average person, but the U.S. diagnosis rate and mortality rate So high, one of the main factors is that even the medical community did not expect the situation that they did not expect the American people "to the level of resistance to ordinary, normal and simple public health measures", they " Unwilling to wear masks, unwilling to push for vaccinations, unwilling to do those public health measures that everyone knows can have better results if they work as a united society."

The 2022 World Economic Forum will be held for 5 days, and the participants will include governments of the world, leaders of international organizations, officials, business people and civil society representatives. In the following meetings, Israeli Prime Minister Bennett, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Australian Prime Minister Morrison, German Chancellor Scholz, Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Trade Organization Iweala, President of the European Commission von der Leyen, As well as US Treasury Secretary Yellen, Trade Representative Dai Qi, Climate Envoy Kerry and others.