Home > Press releases > 2002
28 Jan 2002
Business leaders, politicians and the rich converge on New York City this week for the World Economic Forum (WEF) - the annual gathering of the powerful which plays an important role in discussions of world economic and social policy.
Moved abruptly this year from Davos, Switzerland - reportedly because of concerns over security in the Alpine location - the conference will meet instead at the New York Waldorf Astoria to examine the appropriate theme of "Leadership in Fragile Times: A Vision for a Shared Future."
Against a backdrop of corporate corruption - as the FBI pieces together
the shredded accounts of collapsed US energy giant ENRON - business
leaders and accountants will be meeting to discuss with politicians
the way forward for the world.
Behind the closed doors of the Waldorf Astoria, the invited "community
of top decision makers" - including senior business leaders from
corporations such as AOL Time Warner; Royal Dutch/Shell, Vivendi Universal,
British American Tobacco, Nestle, Nike and American Airlines - will
benefit from "a unique club atmosphere" [1] to talk to world
leaders about the way forward for the world.
While the World Economic Forum guests hold private discussions, representatives
from non-governmental organisations, including Friends of the Earth
International, and representatives from developing and developed countries
will present an alternative vision in a public forum, just a few blocks
away. The Public Eye on Davos International Conference, organised
jointly by NGOs, will be meeting from Thursday 31st
January until Sunday 3rd February at the United Nations
Church Center - with all sessions open to the public and the press.
At a separate meeting, government representatives from around the world will be attending a preparatory session for the United Nations Earth Summit (scheduled to take place in Johannesburg, later this year).
The WEF - funded by contributions from the world's foremost 1000 companies
- has stated that following the events of September 11th,
the "alliance between the world's largest trading partners today
is more important than ever" [2]. It calls for an end to political
posturing and regulatory divergence, which stand as a barrier to free
trade.
Previous WEF meetings have been a major source of support for neoliberal
economic policies, paving the way for the creation of the World Trade
Organisation (WTO) and North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) -
both of which have been severely criticised for contributing to global
inequality through their damaging impacts on poor communities.
Friends of the Earth International will be calling on the corporate
representatives attending the WEF to widen their horizons from profit-led
development to embrace the wider issues of sustainability that affect
the whole world.
Tony Juniper, Director Designate of Friends of the Earth, said:
"The World Economic Forum's slogan is 'Committed to Improving the
State of the World' yet many of its participants are chief executives
of the companies responsible for the very worst ravages of corporate
globalisation. It is a bitter irony that many people cannot swallow.
How exactly does the WEF claim to have improved the world for the people
in the Niger delta, or the children working in Asian sweatshops - or
indeed for the ex-Enron employees now looking for work?
"If participants at the World Economic Forum are serious about improving
the state of the world, they should accept Friends of the Earth International's
challenge and support a global regime to curb corporate power, with
guaranteed rights for citizens and communities, and protection for the
environment where we all live."
The World Economic Forum meets in New York from 31st January
until 4th February 2002. Friends of the Earth International
will have spokespeople available in New York throughout the meeting.
Updates will also be available at www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/corporates/
[1]World Economic Forum on-line -
www.weforum.com
[2]"Charting a new course for transatlantic relations" www.weforum.com
Contact details:
Friends of the Earth
26-28 Underwood St.
LONDON
N1 7JQ
Tel: 020 7490 1555
Fax: 020 7490 0881
Web: www.foe.co.uk/feedback.html
Media team
