The world’s political and business elite has gathered in Davos for the 45th annual World Economic Forum. This year’s theme is entitled “The New Global Context”. From violent religious extremism to falling oil prices, all the major issues are on the agenda.
As Klaus Schwab, the founder and executive chairman of the Forum put it, “It’s a year of destiny for humankind’’.
The World Economic Forum’s own annual global risk report shows that the threat of a global conflict is greater today than at any other time since the end of the Cold War. In addition to possible interstate wars with regional consequences and the danger of terrorism, a risk of conflicts between countries with big economies is becoming real, too.
While the challenges facing our leaders grow greater each day, public confidence in their ability to deal with crises is falling. According to the Financial Times, a research to be presented at Davos this week found public trust in institutions dropped down to the lowest level since the financial crisis in 2009.
After his predecessor Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s angry exchange with the Israeli leader Shimon Peres in 2009, and a six-year-long boycott of the Forum, Ahmet Davutoğlu is the first Turkish prime minister to attend Davos. He is there with a high-level delegation of ministers and businessmen.
All the major issues to be discussed, such as instability, terrorist threat, risk of regional conflict, economic gloom, are dangers directly facing Turkey. This year, Turkey also presides over the Group of Twenty (G-20), an international forum for 20 major economies.
On Thursday, Mr Davutoğlu will deliver a keynote speech on Turkey’s vision for the G-20. On the first day of the gathering in Davos, the Prime Minister spoke about the need to create a new world order based on inclusiveness. He called for national ministers to set aside their narrow regional interests and act in the broader interest of humanity. He promised that Turkey would continue to play the role of mediator and bridge builder. “Turkey is well-placed to play this role because of its impressive economic achievements, self-confidence and democratic credentials”, he said.
Self-confident, may be but Turkey’s democratic credentials are becoming harder to sell each day.
When Turkey took over the presidency of the G-20, it also assumed a responsibility to implement an anti-corruption plan. The day after, the ruling party AKP used its majority in parliament to prevent four former government ministers facing corruption charges from standing trial; it is not only its poor record on democracy but also with its reputation as a deeply corrupt country that Turkey has to live with.
In the 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International, Turkey had the biggest fall, dropping five points in a year. Transparency International has said that Tuesday’s vote to maintain the immunity of four former government ministers ‘created yet another example of impunity for corruption which risks becoming a normalised feature of Turkish society”.
Who knows, this may prove to be Turkey’s hour. Or, perhaps this time, there may be someone brave enough to stand up and say “One Minute” to Turkey’s Prime Minister.
This post is also available in: Turkish
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