Newsletter Newsletters Events Events Podcasts Videos Africanews
Loader
Advertisement

World Economic Forum in Davos reflects global tensions, Harvard professor says

People leave on the final day of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, Switzerland.
People leave on the final day of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, Switzerland. Copyright  Markus Schreiber/Copyright 2026 The AP. All rights reserved
Copyright Markus Schreiber/Copyright 2026 The AP. All rights reserved
By Euronews
Published on
Share Comments
Share Close Button
Copy/paste the article video embed link below: Copy to clipboard Copied

The World Economic Forum in Davos, which ended on Friday, once again revealed the profound international geopolitical transformations currently under way.

This year's World Economic Forum in Davos took place at a particularly tense time. Europe and the United States displayed their disagreements on Greenland in speech after speech, raising fears of a trade war between the historic partners.

Although Washington ultimately backtracked after an agreement with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on a "framework of future deal" over the Arctic territory, the scars run deep and the economic risks remain.

For Harvard University professor Gita Gopinath, tensions over Greenland and Donald Trump's threats of import duties against several European countries marked a political upheaval.

"It has been the most significant shift that we have seen in many years in terms of what's happening with the world order," she explained.

Houses are seen near the coast of a sea inlet of Nuuk, 25 January, 2026
Houses are seen near the coast of a sea inlet of Nuuk, 25 January, 2026 AP Photo

For the former First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, the world has not yet completely changed, but certainties are disappearing one after the other.

"It still remains the case that 80% of global trade is conducted by the rules of the World Trade Organisation, so it's not completely chaotic, but we are at a precipice," she warns.

Faced with geopolitical risks, the Harvard professor believes that the European response must involve strengthening the single market.

She believes that undertaking reforms across all 27 Member States and showing that they are capable of coming together would send a message to the international community.

Go to accessibility shortcuts
Share Comments

Read more

How can Europe balance investment, skills, and innovation for growth?

'Peace' or 'Piece'? Musk mocks Donald Trump's new Board of Peace in Davos

Davos 2026: Who said what at world's top political and business summit