Geopolitics, conflict and diplomacy at Davos 2025. Here's what to know
'Rebuilding Trust' is one of the key themes at the 2025 Annual Meeting. Image: REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
- The World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2025 convened public and private sector leaders in Davos, Switzerland.
- One of the key themes of the meeting was 'Rebuilding Trust'.
- Here's what leaders had to say about geopolitics, conflict and diplomacy at Davos 2025.
In an increasingly complex and fast-moving world, societal divides have deepened, geopolitics is multipolar and policy is shifting towards protectionism, hampering both trade and investment.
Through a series of themed sessions at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos, Switzerland, global leaders discussed how stakeholders can find new ways to collaborate on solutions both internationally and within societies.
Key sessions at Davos 2025 on geopolitics, conflict and diplomacy
After the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20 in 2023, Africa gained momentum for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, with the US recently endorsing the proposal.
In this session, which included ministers from Tunisia, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, participates explored how African nations can continue to increase their influence and contributions to global security and development challenges.
Following the welcoming remarks, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen delivered an opening address, stressing to attendees that it is in "no one's interest to break the bonds of the global economy."
Ding Xuexiang, Vice-Premier of the People's Republic of China, also delivered a special address, detailing pillars of successful economic growth and global governance that have proved effective.
Protectionism leads nowhere. Trade war has no winners
”"Admittedly, economic globalization will bring some tensions and disagreements on distribution," Ding added. "These issues can only be resolved in the process of promoting economic globalization."
As a revival of economic nationalism and industrial policy reshapes the world, governments are racing to shore up their readiness to attract investment and establish next-generation industrial hubs within their borders.
In this session, panelists explored how value chains are simultaneously becoming more complex and regional, and how national industrial agendas can be balanced with global economic cooperation in this competitive environment.
Global cooperation has declined in recent years, with the risk of international relations stalling at a "new, non-cooperative normal". Yet, amid the competition and confrontation, there are positive trends, particularly on joint climate action and in areas of collaborative innovation.
In this session, panelists explored the 2025 edition of the Global Cooperation Barometer, which identifies where global cooperation is working, where it isn't and what leaders can do to build stronger cross-border collaboration.
As the geopolitical landscape undergoes profound transformation, global stability and security continue to deteriorate, with rising tensions and the highest number of state-based conflicts recorded in the past 75 years.
In this session, leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Finland, the EU and Nigeria discussed the diplomatic approaches leaders can take to address immediate security and economic challenges while advancing progress on long-term global priorities.
On the recent developments in Syria, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani expressed optimism, noting that the regime change represents a "new chapter".
After years of underinvestment, military spending in Western and Central Europe is now higher than at the end of the Cold War, reaching €350 billion in 2024. Defence policy discussions, meanwhile, are increasingly travelling from jealously guarded national capitals to the corridors of Brussels.
In this sessions, participants— including Alexander Stubb, President of Finland; Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister of Sweden; and General Christopher G. Cavoli Supreme Allied Commander Europe, among other—examined transatlantic alliances and European defences.
As the war in Ukraine nears its third year, Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Europe to solidify its position as a leading global power. He pointed to existing models of cooperation in Ukraine’s defence as examples of how collective action can strengthen Europe as a whole.
Europe needs to compete for the top spot in priorities, alliances and technological development.
”“We need a united European security and defence policy, and all European countries must be willing to spend as much on security as is truly needed,” Zelenskyy added.
In a world shaped by increased disruption, building long-term resilience is essential for emerging economies. In this sessions, panelists explored how government and industry can collaborate to better mobilize capital for resilience-building investments.
The global security landscape has deteriorated sharply in the past decade, with nearly 15% of the world's population now living in conflict-affected areas.
In this session, panelists explored how leaders can stem the breakdown of longstanding security norms and institutions and bolster long-term comprehensive collective security.
Ongoing conflict in the Middle East is having ripple effects across the world as the toll on human lives continues to rise. In this town hall, Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Al Safadi discussed the latest developments in the region and explored what actions leaders can take to de-escalate tensions and seek long-term stability.
He also detailed the latest developments in Gaza, including the recent ceasefire and hostage release deal.
Everybody has an interest in the ceasefire holding.
”In a conversation with CNN host Fareed Zakaria, Iranian Vice President for Strategic Affairs Javad Zarif spoke about the latest developments in the Middle East and the ongoing conflicts.
"We can move forward based on opportunities, rather than based on threats," he said while speaking about efforts to reduce tensions across the region.
Governance in Latin America is being transformed. In this session, Peruvian President Dina Ercilia Boluarte, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino Quintero and Inter-American Development Bank President Ilan Goldfajn discussed how the region's leaders can navigate these risks and uncertainties while seeking long-term stability and enabling investments.
"The only way to generate economic reactivation that will benefit the entire Peruvian population is by unblocking projects that have been stalled for years," said Boluarte.
Building on its strong economic growth of 4.7% in 2024, ASEAN is seeking to boost labour productivity to maintain its competitiveness amid intensifying geo-economic competition.
In this session, participants included Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of Viet Nam; Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia; Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the Bangladesh Government; Julie Bishop, United Nations Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar; and Merit Janow, Chairman, Mastercard.
Economically, it has to be an age of comprehensive, inclusive growth.
”discussed how the region can leverage its diversity and deepen collaboration with partners to strengthen the third largest population bloc in the world. Panelists included Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of Viet Nam; Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia; Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the Bangladesh Government; Julie Bishop, United Nations Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar; and Merit Janow, Chairman, Mastercard.
From disruptions to critical infrastructure to cyber biothreats, geopolitical crises are extending into uncharted territories.
In this session, panelist explored how the international community move towards a detente in cyberspace. Participatns included Matthew Prince, Co-Founder and CEO of Cloudflare; Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, President of theInternational Committee of the Red Cross; Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space; and Joe Kaeser, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Siemens Energy
The war against Ukraine has taken new directions including the surprise offensive in Kursk and permission to use ally-supplied weapons on Russian territory. Yet, Western support for Ukraine continues to come under greater pressure, accelerating the prospect of negotiations on a peace deal.
In this session, leaders from across Europe discussed what the future may hold for Ukraine in 2025.
The ongoing war in Gaza, a delicate ceasefire in Lebanon, a political changeover in Syria and heightened tensions in the Red Sea and Horn of Africa threaten to spill over into a wider regional conflict in the Middle East. At the same time, the region finds itself caught in the middle of a geoeconomic competition between superpowers.
In this session, ministers from Syria, France, Jordan, Iraq and Palestine, explored what paths to peace, security and cooperation might like in the Middle East.
The Global Risks Report 2025 highlights an increasingly volatile landscape, marked by accelerating geopolitical, technological and environmental challenges.
In this session, participants explored how the risks evolve across short, medium and long-term horizons, and detailed how global leaders can prepare for emerging threats and build resilience against shocks.
Governments are under pressure to modernize as outdated systems strain to meet the needs of an increasingly digital society – a $10 trillion opportunity.
In this sessions, panelists explored how governments can shift from bureaucracy to agility and leapfrog the investment challenge given the current fiscal tightening and high levels of debt.
Despite the ratcheting up of trade tensions between the United States, Europe and China, a high level of mutual economic dependency continues to bind the world's major powers together and – at present – prevents competition from escalating into conflict.
In this session, experts discussed how the three powers can balance dialogue and engagement in the pursuit of their geo-economics interests.
Reports and launches
Global cooperation is at a crossroads. While overall collaboration has flatlined, driven by heightened geopolitical tensions and instability, positive momentum in areas of climate and nature, innovation and technology, and health and wellness offer hope. In collaboration with McKinsey and Company, the second edition of the barometer offers a comprehensive assessment of global collaboration broadly and across five pillars: trade and capital, innovation and technology, climate and natural capital, health and wellness, and peace and security. It identifies areas of progress and stagnation, highlighting the complexities of cooperation in a world marked by economic uncertainty, geopolitical divides and rapid technological advancements.
The Forum's annual survey of Chief Risk Officers finds state-based armed conflict, which wasn't considered a major risk just two years ago, has become the most immediately pressing material threat in 2025. In a world of deepening political divisions, rising protectionism and weakening trust, there is a growing sense of fragmentation – both within societies and among countries.
This report illustrates the transformative role of AI in global trade by presenting current applications of AI across trade processes, including supply chains, logistics, trade finance, and customs and compliance. It highlights the technology’s potential to enhance efficiency, promote sustainability and encourage inclusivity across international commerce - as well as the challenges and benefits.
Europe is at a defining moment. The world’s shifting power dynamics, the accelerating climate crisis and rapid technological change are testing the continent’s resilience. This report examines how Europe must confront its vulnerabilities and rethink its role in this new global landscape.
This white paper proposes ideas to accelerate Europe’s competitiveness and investment environment, with a sharp focus on impact, both at speed and at scale. It recommends a strategic choice for where to play and how to win; a list of private-sector lighthouse initiatives to kick-start momentum; and 10 public-sector “grands projets” to unleash European entrepreneurship, innovation and investment.
As global volatility and compounding risks intensify, organizations must continuously adapt to complex macroeconomic and geopolitical dynamics. This white paper explores how businesses are responding to today’s challenges, drawing insights from over 250 private-sector leaders across industries and regions.
What to know about 'Rebuilding Trust'
The pace of technological change that defines the "Intelligent Age" is being felt across the globe and at every level from individual to organizational and national.
At the same time, geopolitical and geo-economic tensions are growing with a shift towards multipolarity, exemplified in protectionist moves and growing competition between global powers. As a result, international cooperation is at a crossroads and hampering both trade and investment.
The digital economy, meanwhile, is playing an increasingly critical role in reviving trade. The value of digitally delivered services has grown at more than 8% annually in the past 20 years, according to the World Trade Organization. Total world trade - goods and commercial services - has grown at an average of 5.8% per year.
Leveraging the technologies of the "Intelligent Age" to address our most pressing challenges will require cooperation at all levels from international to local.
Many of the challenges faced are interconnected and demand innovative solutions, substantial investment and collaborative thinking. These are tasks that require collaboration among large numbers of stakeholders from all parts of the world to ensure the most effective and equitable outcomes.
Cooperation is possible, even in today’s challenging context, as the Forum’s Global Cooperation Barometer shows. The latest report records growing cooperation over the issues of climate change and natural capital, and also a burst of collaboration in response to the pandemic. The task is to consolidate these sentiments to support wider resilience.
Further reading
Trade policies have evolved beyond economic efficiency, increasingly reflecting non-trade objectives (NTOs) like climate action, human rights and sustainability. This trend sees countries using market access to promote values-driven agendas – bringing positive changes and new challenges.
Global value chains continue to face challenges ranging from the climate crisis to geopolitical headwinds and next-generation technologies. Manufacturers must decide how best to reconfigure their supply chains to safeguard their operations well into the future.
How can policies be designed to attain geopolitical goals through means that do the least harm to cross-border commerce? Doing so requires a stronger understanding of the options and strategies available to the private sector.
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