Why Tanzania is not represented in Davos

        Dar es Salaam. Invitations to the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos are sent to individuals, not countries, Foreign Affairs minister Augustine Mahiga clarified yesterday.

This is the overriding reason why Tanzania is not represented in this year’s gathering in the Swiss resort, Dr Mahiga told The Citizen by telephone from Addis Ababa.

He said WEF organisers this year invited him, but he could not attend the forum which coincided with African Union (AU) preparatory meetings in Addis Ababa. The meetings are setting the agenda for the 30th AU Summit scheduled for January 28 and 29 in the Ethiopian capital.

Dr Mahiga held a series of meetings with ministry officials in Dodoma before departing for Addis Ababa.

He said the tight schedule made it impossible for him to travel to the Davos forum whose organisers turned down his request that he be represented by Tanzania’s ambassador to Switzerland.

“I contacted the organisers, and asked them whether I could be represented by our ambassador in Switzerland, but they told me that the invitation was not transferable.”

He said even heads of state were invited in their  personal capacities, and could not be represented by other individuals in case they were unable to attend.

Dr Mahiga added that WEF was important for countries such as Tanzania as it provided a rare opportunity to meet heads of state and key development stakeholders, including global business leaders and policy-makers.

“The meeting is important for Tanzania, which is implementing an ambitious development agenda, including industrialisation. It is important to expand the network of stakeholders through its representatives at the meeting.”

This year’s WEF has drawn representatives from four communities, including chief executives and chairs of the forum’s 1,000 partners and member companies actively engaged in the International Business Council.

Others are political leaders from the G20 and other countries and heads of international organisations engaged in high-level dialogues facilitated by the Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders (IGWEL) programme.

Another community comprises members of global future councils, an expert network and global university leaders’ forum, spiritual and cultural leaders and representatives from civil society, labour and media organisations.

The fourth community brings together technology pioneers, global shapers, young global leaders and a new generation of innovators and entrepreneurs.

The WEF is a nonprofit foundation based in Geneva, Switzerland.

Recognised by the Swiss authorities as an international body, its mission is cited as commitment “to improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas”.

The forum is best known for its annual meeting at the end of January in Davos, a mountain resort in eastern Switzerland.personal capacities, and could not be represented by other individuals in case they were unable to attend.

Dr Mahiga added that WEF was important for countries such as Tanzania as it provided a rare opportunity to meet heads of state and key development stakeholders, including global business leaders and policy-makers.

“The meeting is important for Tanzania, which is implementing an ambitious development agenda, including industrialisation. It is important to expand the network of stakeholders through its representatives at the meeting.”

This year’s WEF has drawn representatives from four communities, including chief executives and chairs of the forum’s 1,000 partners and member companies actively engaged in the International Business Council.

Others are political leaders from the G20 and other countries and heads of international organisations engaged in high-level dialogues facilitated by the Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders (IGWEL) programme.

Another community comprises members of global future councils, an expert network and global university leaders’ forum, spiritual and cultural leaders and representatives from civil society, labour and media organisations.

The fourth community brings together technology pioneers, global shapers, young global leaders and a new generation of innovators and entrepreneurs.

The WEF is a nonprofit foundation based in Geneva, Switzerland.

Recognised by the Swiss authorities as an international body, its mission is cited as commitment “to improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas”.

The forum is best known for its annual meeting at the end of January in Davos, a mountain resort in eastern Switzerland.