Reducing Poverty and Improving Equity, Now a Core Issues at Davos-New York

By Emad Mekay

WASHINGTON, (IPS) - The World Economic Forum (WEF) says it will reach out to the poor, and "Reducing Poverty and Improving Equity" would be one of the six core themes of the event, scheduled to take place in New York from January 31 to February 5.

Support is being rallied among U.S. activists to seek out the meeting of the world's most powerful business and political leaders.

More than 3,000 delegates are expected to attend. Since 1971, the annual WEF has been held in Davos, Switzerland, where it has been increasingly surrounded by mass protests; its move to New York City in 2002 is unprecedented. Critics accuse the WEF forum of being a haven for influence peddling and deal making by fast-talking businessmen where the poor and the developing countries are kept on the sidelines.

As a result of the Sep 111 terrorist attacks in the United States, campaigners have notably toned down their opposition to the globalisation agenda spearheaded by powerful organizations such as the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the WEF and governments of the most industrialized nations, known as the Group of Eight (G8).

"The only positive thing about September 11 is that it made many people realize they're part of a bigger world and we need to globalise solidarity," said Robin Alexander of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder, Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad of Malaysia, US Secretary of the Treasury Paul H. O'Neill and former US President of the United States Bill Clinton are all scheduled to be among the political leaders who will join the corporate titans at the Waldorf Astoria hotel.

President George W. Bush may also attend by way of showing support for the city in the wake of Sept 11's attacks and as Davos allegedly failed to come up with necessary security guarantees.

Development advocacy groups oppose the economic and social models that the G8 and other powerful industrialized countries promote through the WEF. The activists charge that such models have worsened the troubles of developing countries and widened the gap between the rich and the poor.

WEF supporters believe it is the only way forward to guarantee stability and economic growth for both rich and poor nations. They insist that WEF discussion and policies preached by the Bank, WTO and the IMF are necessary to promote economic growth.

The WEF says that for the first time this year, its annual meeting will bring together dozens of religious leaders from different faiths to search out "common values to bridge divides among communities and addressing issues on the global agenda".

Many more U.S. participants will attend this year, including a large number of community based activists. US organizers of the Porto Alegre event include Jobs with Justice, Institute for Policy Studies, 50 Years is Enough Network, and Essential Action.

Only a few years ago, a few dozens used to demonstrate outside the Washington headquarters of the IMF and World Bank. But the movement won attention in November 1999 when some 30,000 demonstrators succeeded in shutting down the WTO meeting in Seattle. Later in 2000 more than 20,000 demonstrators protested on the same Washington streets.

Officials and business leaders have argued that the demonstrators were "anti-capitalists" and that their denunciations are gravely wrong. They charge that there are programs that provide billions of dollars in debt relief and forgiveness to broke countries as one of many means that they help reduce poverty.