Articles by "Davos"
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IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva


Davos, Jan 24 :  IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva on Friday said growth slowdown in India appears to be temporary and she expects the momentum to improve going ahead.

Speaking here at the WEF 2020, she also said the world appears a better place in January 2020 compared to what it was when IMF announced its World Economic Outlook in October 2019.

She said the factors driving this positive momentum include receding trade tension after the US-China first phase trade deal and synchronised tax cuts, among others.

She, however, said a growth rate of 3.3 per cent is not fantastic for the world economy.

"It is still sluggish growth. We want fiscal policies to be more aggressive and we want structural reforms and more dynamism," the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said.

On emerging markets, she said they are also moving forward.

"We had a downgrade in one large market India but we believe that's temporary. We expect momentum to improve further going ahead. There are also some bright spots like Indonesia and Vietnam," she noted.

She further said a number of African countries are doing very well, but some other nations like Mexico are not.

On risks ahead for the global economy, the IMF chief listed factors like weakness in long-term productivity growth and low inflation.

"We are living in a more risk-prone world. It is only January and there have been events that are sparking risks for the global economy," she added.
Donald Trump


Davos, Jan 22 :  US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would have loved to have met Swedish environment activist Greta Thunberg at Davos but added that she should not focus her anger on the United States.

"I would have loved to have seen her," Trump told reporters before leaving the luxury Swiss resort, while claiming that countries other than the United States were the worst polluters and "Greta ought to focus on those places".

Trump had launched an extraordinary attack on environmental campaigners in a speech to the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Tuesday, saying they were "perennial prophets of doom" and the "heirs of yesterday's foolish fortune tellers".

Thunberg sat quietly through the speech and was unrepentant in later remarks. "Our house is still on fire," she said.

Trump denied he thought global warming was a hoax, saying: "No not at all -- I think aspects of it are." He said campaigners had put global warming "at a level that is unrealistic" to the point where people cannot live their lives.

Also speaking at Davos, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin defended the administration's policies, saying its views had been misinterpreted.

"The US administration believes in clean air and clean water. This is a very complicated issue. We support a clean environment we just think it can be done in a way that is pro-business," he said.
Deepika Padukone


Davos, Jan 21 :  Actor Deepika Padukone on Monday said people must understand depression and anxiety are like any other illness and can be treated and her own experience has encouraged her to work for this cause.

"My love and hate relationship with this has taught me a lot and I want to tell everyone suffering from this that you are not alone," she said while recalling her own struggle with depression and mental illness.

"One trillion dollars is the estimated impact of depression and mental illness on the world economy," she said while receiving the annual Crystal Award here on the first evening of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2020.

"In the time it has taken me to accept this award, the world has lost one more person to suicide," she said.

"Depression is a common yet serious illness. It is important to understand that anxiety and depression is like any other illness and treatable. It was experience with this illness that encouraged me to set up Live Love Laugh," she said while talking about the foundation she has set up for this cause.

Padukone was given the award for her leadership in raising mental health awareness -- which she did by going public with her own experience with anxiety and depression.

Motivated by her own experience, she set up her foundation to provide awareness programs in schools in India, funding for free psychiatric treatment, medical education programs, public awareness campaigns and more.


Davos, Jan 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who hosted a meeting of top business
tycoons and global CEOs, displayed a "unique style" and struck personal rapport with them as he presented exciting opportunities for the investment and businesses at global scale.
Over 40 CEOs from global companies and 20 from India attended the Round Table discussion which was hosted under the tagline 'India means business'. 
"PMOIndia (Modi) at the CEOs dinner in Davos. Responding to each CEO’s comments. For each of them, including the overseas CEOs. He had a personal connect or anecdote. A unique style not seen often in Davos," tweeted Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra, who also participated at the meet.
"There will be even more anticipation and expectation for his plenary address," Mr Mahindra wrote.
"Let me add my compliments to you all. You (Modi) did us proud with your world-beating organizational skills. Every global CEO was floored by the personal touches in your hospitality. I am proud to be on the board of @investindia," he said. 
At the end of the Round Table meet, MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar tweeted: "Narrating India's growth story and presenting exciting opportunities for global business in India at #Davos, PM @narendramodi hosted a roundtable meeting with CEOs of top global companies. #IndiaMeansBusiness".
At the meeting, Prime Minister Modi was accompanied by top government officials including foreign secretary designate and Secretary, Economic Relations in MEA Vijay Gokhale and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar.
From the Commerce Ministry, Secretary, Department Of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ramesh Abhishek was present at the meeting.
The Round Table meet came ahead of Prime Minister's key note address at the opening session
of the annual World Economic Forum meet here on Tuesday.
Earlier, after his arrival in the Alpine resort hub here, Prime Minister Modi met Swiss President Alain Berset and held bilateral talks. 
"First engagement in snowing #Davos, PM @narendramodi met with Swiss President @alain_berset. Two leaders had productive discussions on steps to further deepen our bilateral cooperation built upon our shared values of democracy and diversity. #IndiaMeansBusiness," MEA spokesman tweeted.
For his part, Mr Modi also took to the micro blogging site and tweeted: "On reaching Davos, held talks with the President of the Swiss Confederation, Mr. @alain_berset. We reviewed the scope of our bilateral cooperation and discussed ways to deepen it even further". 
Sources said the two leaders are also believed to have discussed matters related to automatic exchange of tax information.
PM Modi is the first Prime Minister to participate in the WEF meet in two decades after Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, who had graced the occasion in 1997.
A number of Union Ministers, including Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, MoS in PMO Jitendra Singh will be participating in the deliberations.
The theme of this year's WEF meet is- "Creating a shared future in a Fractured World". 
Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog also tweeted saying, “In addition to listening to PM keynote address at the plenary session, participating and speaking in several sessions I look forward to joining the Yoga classes on the Alps early morning ! India’s soft power is on full display at World Economic Forum". 
Hours before WEF meet got under way, the International Monetary Fund on Monday said India’s economy is projected to grow by 7.4 per cent in the next fiscal year showing improvement over fast growing large economy China slows down. 
The IMF said projected India’s GDP growth rate for 2018 will be 7.4 per cent and for 2019 will be 7.8 per cent. This will be better than China's projected growth rate of 6.6 in 2018 and 6.4 per cent in 2019. UNI


Davos, Jan 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday late evening hosted a meeting of top business tycoons and CEOs amd said that India means business and presents exciting opportunities for the investment and businesses at global scale.
Over 40 CEOs from global companies and 20 from India attended the Round Table discussion which was hosted under the tagline 'India means business'. 
"Narrating India's growth story and presenting exciting opportunities for global business in India at #Davos, PM @narendramodi hosted a roundtable meeting with CEOs of top global companies. #IndiaMeansBusiness," MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar tweeted after the meeting.
At the meeting, Prime Minister Modi was accompanied by top government officials including foreign secretary designate and Secretary, Economic Relations in MEA Vijay Gokhale and Foreign Secterary Jai Shankar.
From the Commerce Ministry, Secretary, Department Of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ramesh Abhishek was present at the meeting.
The Round Table meet came ahead of Prime Minister is to deliver key note address at the opening session of the annual World Economic Forum meet here on Tuesday.
Earlier after his arrival in the Alpine resort hub here, Prime Minister Modi met Swiss President Alain Berset and held bilateral talks. 
"First engagement in snowing #Davos, PM @narendramodi met with Swiss President @alain_berset. Two leaders had productive discussions on steps to further deepen our bilateral cooperation built upon our shared values of democracy and diversity. #IndiaMeansBusiness," MEA spokesman tweeted.
For his part, Mr Modi also took to the micro blogging site and tweeted: "On reaching Davos, held talks with the President of the Swiss Confederation, Mr. @alain_berset. We reviewed the scope of our bilateral cooperation and discussed ways to deepen it even further". 
Sources said the two leaders are also believed to have discussed matters related to automatic exchange of tax information.
Swiss President Mr Berset greeted the Prime Minister with a warm handshake. As Prime Minister, Mr Modi had visited Switzerland in June 2016.
He had also delivered a joint statement with the then Swiss President Johann Schneider- Ammann.
PM Modi is the first Prime Minister to participate in the WEF meet in two decades after Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, who had graced the occasion in 1997.
A number of Union Ministers including Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu will be participating in the deliberations.
The theme of this year's WEF meet is- "Creating a shared future in a Fractured World". UNI


Davos, Jan 22: Swiss President Alain Berset will have official meetings with US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting here this week, it has been confirmed. 
The World Economic Forumexternal link showcase event will take place in the ski resort of Davos between January 23-26 this year. 
Trump is expcted to arrive here on January 25 and give a speech on January 26. He will be accompanied by a large delegation of US ministers and officials. 
Berset and four Swiss cabinet ministers will hold around 60 bilateral meetings in Davos, it was confirmed on Thursdayexternal link. These include a meeting between Berset, Economics Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 
Bilateral meetings will also be held with Argentinian President Mauricio Macri, Zimbabwe's new president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, the Rwandan president, Paul Kagame and the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. Berset is also set to hold talks with the following heads of government: Charles Michel (Belgium), Benjamin Netanyahu (Israel) and Saad Al Hariri (Lebanon). 
Arrangements are underway for meetings between Swiss ministers and the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, British Prime Minister Theresa May, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. 
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis will meet Johannes Hahn, the EU commissioner for European neighbourhood policy, who is responsible for relations with Switzerland. He will also hold bilateral talks with the UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, the Saudi Arabian foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, and the Jordanian foreign minister, Ayman Safadi.
Last year the World Economic Forum’s Davos Congress attracted around 3,000 visitors, including some 500 journalists. Similar numbers are expected this year when it runs from January 23-26.
Companies each pay between CHF60,000 and CHF600,000 in annual membership fees. For the financial year between July 2015 to June 2016, WEF generated a CHF228 million in revenues. The non-profit organisation paid a budgetary surplus of CHF1.2 million into its foundation.
A study by WEF and the University of St Gallen found that the 2015 Congress meeting generated CHF50 million ($51 million) for the local economy and an additional CHF79 million for the rest of Switzerland.
The Swiss government authorises up to 5,000 military personnel to provide security at the Davos event, but the full contingent is rarely used. Security costs of CHF9 million are spilt between the Confederation, canton Graubünden, the town of Davos and WEF, the swissinfo.ch and other media reports said. UNI