5 reasons Davos matters to global development

What happens in Davos … goes global. The popular Swiss ski resort has become synonymous to the World Economic Forum annual meeting, having hosted the event for more than four decades (save in 2002, when it was held in New York in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks). It’s become a place that sets the global development agenda every year. Here are some things that have happened (and are likely to happen) in Davos.

Major global aid initiatives are born Global Compact (1999) GAVI Alliance (2001) Global Plan to Stop Tuberculosis (2006) Read more news on GAVI

Bill Gates creates buzz The U.S. billionaire philanthropist is a regular at the WEF annual meeting, and has used the forum to announce major pledges such as $10B over 10 years for vaccination (2010), $102M to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (2011) and $750M to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (2012). Read more news on Bill Gates

G-8 leaders share their priorities In 2005, then-U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair laid out his agenda for the G-8 summit, focusing on climate change and poverty in Africa. Eight years later, current 10 Downing Street occupant David Cameron did the same, with a focus on trade, tax and transparency. Read more news on G-8 development priorities

The world’s biggest crises are addressed 2012 was all about the Arab Spring. Last year, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon focused his remarks on Syria and Mali, urging global solidarity to end violence in the Sahel. Read more news on Syria

Business, government and nonprofit leaders partner on humanitarian relief, food security, climate change and global health, among other causes. Read more about public-private partnerships in global development

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