(WEF) meeting, Davos, Switzerland
27 January 2009
Pretoria: South African President Kgalema Motlanthe will on Wednesday, 28
January 2009, depart for Switzerland where he will lead a South African
Government delegation to the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Summit Meeting
in Davos, scheduled from 28 January to 1 February 2009. This will be the first
ever WEF Summit to be attended by President Motlanthe since he took office in
September 2008. President Motlantheâs delegation will include among others
Ministers Trevor Manuel, Mandisi Mpahlwa as well as Marthinus van Schalkwyk and
senior government officials
The 2009 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting is organised under the theme
âshaping the post-crisis worldâ with the objective of developing a holistic and
systematic approach to improve the state of the world in a manner that
integrates all stakeholders of global society. This session will provide a
unique opportunity for leaders from industry, government and civil society to
shape this transformation at an early stage for the benefit of all
stakeholders.
The annual meeting theme âshaping the post-crisis worldâ will be explored
through six programmatic tracks:
* promoting stability in the financial system and reviving global economic
growth
* ensuring effective global, regional and national governance for the long
term
* addressing the challenges of sustainability and development
* shaping the values and leadership principles for a post-crisis world
* catalysing the next wave of growth through innovation, science and
technology
* understanding the implications on industry business model.
Furthermore, the 2009 annual meeting promises to be one of the most
important events in the World Economic Forumâs history. More than 40 heads of
state and government have already confirmed their participation with over 2 500
participants from the business, political and cultural communities expected to
address this annual event. This mass participation reflects the growing need
for an interdisciplinary and systematic view of the major economic, political,
societal and technological changes that lie ahead in 2009.
In preparation for this event the World Economic Forum has stated that the
international landscape will be radically altered as a result of the present
global economic crisis. Countries, communities and companies are being forced
to review their assumptions about the future and to rethink their strategies in
light of the global transformation currently evolving.
President Motlanthe is expected to hold, on the margins of the forum, a
series of bilateral meetings with other participating Heads of State and
Government, as well as representatives from private corporations.
Enquiries:
Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
27 January 2009
