DAVOS, Switzerland — Leaders in global health, international development, and humanitarian response will be critical participants in the conversations highlighted by the World Economic Forum’s theme for its annual Davos meeting: how to create a shared future in a fractured world. This year, there were some key takeaways and practical opportunities for partnership in the development space.
“Everyone, from corporate executives to heads of state, they’re talking SDGs,” Raj Kumar, Devex president and editor-in-chief, told Devex Senior Reporter Catherine Cheney in a conversation for Executive Members. “In terms of the big picture, it’s not like development is off in its own corner somewhere. It’s a theme, I feel like, in every discussion.”
There was a lot of emphasis in Davos on systems thinking, from health systems to education systems to food systems. Depending on who you ask, Davos is either the ultimate megaphone for big partnerships, or a place where you risk getting lost in the shuffle. But it is undoubtedly among the best venues for putting partnerships together.