What an honor to be invited to observe at the 2017 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where the information and inspiration flowed throughout this annual gathering of some of the greatest minds today.
I was in Davos, with my husband, in part as a result of my work with the United Nations as a Delegate of the Order of Malta Mission. Among the many highlights of the trip was meeting Vice President Joe Biden, who is a big fan of nurses!
I was also blessed to be in the audience when United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, a regular in Davos during his time with UNCHR, was introduced for the first time by the World Economic Forum host, Klaus Schwab.
In his address Secretary-General Guterres delivered a powerful, impactful vision for the UN. Specifically, within his opening remarks he outlined three areas of reform:
- A Peace Strategy – a focus on crisis prevention and preservation;
- UN System Development – to truly be able to support countries;
- Management Reform—specifically Budgetary & Financial—to build trust, and to eliminate micro-management.
These areas of reform are needed in order to engage with all member states. Transparency and accountability are most important moving forward, while making prevention a priority.
In addition to these three areas of reform, Secretary-General Guterres envisioned enhancements of new partnerships with the business community, academics, healthcare, governmental sectors, and more. He hopes to align with the private sector’s core business strategic goals, stating it is good business to invest in goodness, stating the UN’s best allies are in the business sector.
Regarding the implementation of the 2030 SDGs, he shared with all that the return on investment (ROI) will be $30B per year! This allows for an opportunity to generate investments and allow private sector to play an important role where there is a need for necessary innovation, more jobs, etc. It also allows for an opportunity of a new platform for higher level partnerships.
The challenges of genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, (AI), and cyberspace all remain, but dialogue and communication can avoid risks and disaster.
“It was also a pleasure to hear Ginny Rometty speak, one of the most powerful women in technology and business, as CEO of IBM.
“It is a partnership between man and machine, if you want to put it that way,” Rometty said in an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” while in Davos.
Think more about activities changing with the technologies. When you do your job, there will be things that take you a lot of time to research and do,” she said. “Yes, they’ll be done faster. Then you have the time to do what I think we all humans do best.”
And one of the things humans do best is help other humans! I look forward to being in Davos in 2018 and to supporting world leaders who genuinely care and are “Committed To Improving the State of the World.”
Deb
