World Economic Forum Set to Welcome Global Elite

The annual World Economic Forum (WEF) will be held this week in Davos, Switzerland. The meeting, which will run from January 21-24,  will bring together high-profile politicians and business leaders who will discuss a range of pressing issues. President Trump, who missed last year’s meeting, will lead the U.S. delegation. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lightziger, who were instrumental in passing the U.S.-Canada-Mexico and U.S.-China trade agreements, will also attend.

The WEF meeting takes place just weeks after clashes between the U.S. and Iran, which sent oil and silver prices spiking higher. Against this backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions, President Trump’s face-to-face meetings and comments at the summit will be closely watched. Saudi Arabia will attend the summit, but Iran’s foreign minister Zarif has canceled his participation, underscoring the tensions which have gripped Iran both externally and at home. Other issues which will be high on the agenda at Davos include climate control and a “Bill of Rights” for digital currencies.

Climate control is no longer a question of carbon emissions, but has become an important consideration in global financial systems. The heads of the Bank of England and the European Common Bank, for example, have repeatedly mentioned that climate change is part of the agenda of the central banks, given the huge (negative) implications that climate change can have on global financial markets.

The WEF’s Global Blockchain Council is working on a  “Blockchain Bill of Rights: Design Principles for a Decentralized Future.” The goal is to establish minimum requirements for this new technology, with an eye on protecting users of digital currencies. This would involve a wide range of protections, such as the right to privacy/security, accountability and accessibility, among others.