Page 86 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 10

ECONOMYvelopment
De

THE

GREAT

RESET

Chioma Phillips

A World Economic Forum thing better” after Covid. In fact, in tion – are more exposed than ever
Initiative Schwab’s own words, this is seen as amidst a global context of concern
The world is abuzz with talk of The a “Turning point of humankind” for lives, livelihoods and the planet.
Great Reset as is being advanced emphasizing that we will not return Leaders find themselves at a historic
by Professor Klaus Schwab, found- to the “good old world” that we crossroads, managing short-term
er and Executive Director of the had. The Great Reset is the planned pressures against medium- and long-
World Economic Forum (WEF) and theme for the next WEF conference term uncertainties.
all those of like mind and persua- in Davos in January 2021.
sion. At the launch of The Great According to the WEF Great Reset THE OPPORTUNITY
Reset in 2020, speaker after speaker website page: “There is an urgent As we enter a unique window of
waxed lyrical about the “unique need for global stakeholders to opportunity to shape the recovery,
window of opportunity” that the cooperate in simultaneously manag- this initiative will offer insights to
global ‘pandemic’ has created and ing the direct consequences of the help inform all those determining
about how we cannot afford to miss COVID-19 crisis. To improve the the future state of global relations,
it. Voices such as those of UK’s state of the world, the World Eco- the direction of national econo-
Prince Charles, António Guterres, nomic Forum is starting The Great mies, the priorities of societies, the
Secretary-General of the Unit- Reset initiative. nature of business models and the
ed Nations, Kristalina Georgieva management of a global commons.
Managing Director of the IMF, Dr THE CONTEXT Drawing from the vision and vast
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Chair of the The Covid-19 crisis, and the politi- expertise of the leaders engaged
Board of the Global Alliance for cal, economic and social disruptions across the Forum’s communities,
Vaccines and Immunization, as well it has caused, is fundamentally the Great Reset initiative has a set
as the heads of bp, Mastercard and changing the traditional context for of dimensions to build a new social
Microsoft chimed in at the launch decision-making. The inconsisten- contract that honours the dignity of
of The Great Reset Initiative, to cies, inadequacies and contradictions every human being.
lend urgency and significance to the of multiple systems –from health
prospect of “building back some- and financial to energy and educa- OUR CONTRIBUTION

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