Devex Newswire: A look at global development subplots in Davos

We look at the beautiful mess that is Davos.

Also in today’s edition: The U.K. government backtracks on a promise to reunite Afghan refugees in the United Kingdom with their families abroad, potentially leaving them at the mercy of the Taliban.

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The dichotomies of Davos

This week, as it does each year, the World Economic Forum gathers the powerful, the wealthy, the elite — and a smattering of us average folks — in the Swiss Alps to talk, schmooze, and pontificate. But what exactly are they talking about?

Davos doesn’t deliver any declarations, but it can be the genesis of important dealmaking. The thematic agenda is rarely much of a revelation (yes, we know rebuilding trust in the world is a good thing), yet people seem to hang on every word. And while it elicits the usual eye-rolling as the uber-rich swoop in on private jets to sound the alarm about poverty and climate change, Davos keeps going despite the cynics, marking its 54th year as a hub of intellect and influence.

“For all the flaws and contradictions of Davos — still not enough participation from global majority countries compared to the US and other wealthy countries; far too few women and the private jet bonanza flying to and from Swiss airports — it fills a unique space … in bringing public and private together, which is ultimately the raison d’etre of the WEF,” Sara Pantuliano of the ODI think thank wrote to Devex Senior Reporter Vince Chadwick, who’ll be on the ground this week to bring us the latest scoops from the slopes.

Pantuliano noted that with the United Nations and other international bodies hamstrung by “global geopolitical fractures,” this year’s gathering is an important way to unite business interests, governments, civil society, and philanthropies. In fact, WEF says it will welcome over 100 governments worldwide, “all major international organizations,” and 1,000 partner companies.

The program covers topics ranging from security to job growth to artificial intelligence. What development issues will Vince be keeping an eye on? Check out his story to find out.

Read: The development stories we’re watching at Davos 2024

+ Are you in Davos? Got a tip for us? Reach out to Vince directly at vince.chadwick@devex.com.

Come in from the cold

So what can development NGOs get out of making the trek to an expensive ski resort besides postcard-worthy views and bragging rights? Relationships, for one thing — which can last long after the Davos crowds disperse.

“Davos is an interesting melting pot,” says Tom Dannatt of the NGO Street Child and a three-time Davos attendee, noting that the discourse on businesses’ social and environmental responsibilities “gives an entry point for a smart NGO in a lot of conversations.”

At the same time, “It’s important that we recognize Davos for what it is and what isn't,” says Rebecca Riddell of Oxfam America. Oxfam publishes an annual update on its global economic inequality report just as Davos kicks off, highlighting how much wealth is in the hands of a small cadre of people — many of whom are there.

“At best, Davos is a place for needed dialogue,” Riddell tells Devex contributing reporter Natalie Donback. “It can be a place for holding political and business leaders to account, which is why some members of civil society, including Oxfam, are there. But Davos is not a democratic space in which transparent and participatory decisions are made.”

Read: A global development insider's guide to Davos (Pro)

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UK U-turn

The U.K. seems to be reneging on a promise it made to help Afghan refugees reunite with families they were forced to leave behind after the Taliban takeover.

Devex U.K. Correspondent Rob Merrick reports that Parliament was told applications for family reunions would finally begin “in the first half of 2024” — but the U.K. government is now refusing to stand by the commitment, saying only that “further information will be made available in due course.”

Rob has been tracking the case of Muhammad, a 30-year-old civil engineer who was among around 24,000 Afghans denied full refugee status after evacuation — despite the U.K. accepting his life was in danger because he helped the invading U.S.-led forces in 2001 — and instead granted “indefinite leave to remain” with no family reunion rights. Today, he is still separated from his wife and two children, two and a half years after his airlift out of Kabul.  

The predicament leaves Muhammad’s family and many others who fled to Pakistan at risk of deportation back to Taliban territory as Pakistan’s authorities target the 600,000 Afghans who crossed the border after the regime’s 2021 return to power.

The U.K.’s apparent U-turn has been condemned by British member of Parliament Caroline Lucas. “The dodging and delaying we’ve got accustomed to from the Home Office is literally sentencing people to risk of death at the hands of the Taliban,” the Green Party MP said.

Exclusive: UK backtracks on vow to reunite Afghan refugees and families

A WEF of privilege

Who is the “Davos man?” He’s that dapper gentleman primed for both snow and schmoozing as he dons an overpriced puffer coat over an equally pricey suit and tie.

Of course, the Davos man isn’t real, but there’s some truth to the trope. WEF is still populated by rich white men, but as Kathryn Nwajiaku-Dahou and Helen Alderson of the ODI think tank write in an opinion article for Devex, “The WEF annual meeting has worked hard to evolve into a forum which can meaningfully impact global development and be less ‘global north’ about it.”

And that impact must involve the private sector.

“Collectively, private business interests already play a critical role — even if indirectly — in shaping some of the underlying drivers of crisis in all its forms, through their investment decisions, including the very low-risk appetite for investment in frontier markets,” they write, outlining ways the private sector can support the public good.

Opinion: Can private sector ‘Davos man’ be the change at WEF 2024?  

Malaria milestone

Cape Verde is now certified malaria-free, according to the World Health Organization. The country is the third to reach this certification in the WHO African region, and 44th globally.

My colleague Jenny Lei Ravelo tells me the milestone is expected to have health and other socioeconomic benefits for the island nation off West Africa, including a boost in tourism, which accounts for approximately 25% of its gross domestic product.

Now Cape Verde is expected to use existing systems and infrastructure for malaria elimination to fight other mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue fever, which has seen a sharp rise in cases globally in the past year.

In a statement, Peter Sands, executive director of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, described the country’s success as a “beacon of hope at a time when climate change threatens to slow down our progress in the global fight against malaria.”

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In other news

Syria has extended permission for the U.N. to use the Bab al-Hawa crossing to deliver humanitarian assistance to the country's northwest for another six months. [AP News]

Ghana has reached a deal to restructure $5.4 billion of loans with bilateral lenders, including China and France. [Reuters]

Care International has compiled a list of 10 overlooked humanitarian crises from the previous year — all of them in Africa. [DW]

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