00:00Davos always has its precedence, and this year sees the US with its very own base of
00:05operations for the event in this church.
00:08USA House is the hub for what is the largest ever US delegation to attend the World Economic
00:13Forum, which is itself a good sign given the range of issues on the agenda, from Iran and
00:19Ukraine to Venezuela and now Greenland as well.
00:22For the organisers, Davos is the ideal setting for addressing these conflicts and exploring
00:27potential solutions.
00:29The official theme for this year's event is a spirit of dialogue, although there are
00:33doubts as to whether everyone attending prefers to talk.
00:37US President Donald Trump has threatened various European nations with new tariffs, prompting
00:41the EU to consider retaliatory measures.
00:46It seems like we are at a turning point.
00:49We don't know yet what the new reality will be like, but we know we need to brace ourselves
00:55for more turmoil and uncertainty.
00:59Alongside Trump, over 60 heads of state and government are expected in Davos, among them
01:04German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.
01:09Practically all the major players are represented.
01:11Russia only minimally, although there are hopes of progress being made in the peace process
01:15with Ukraine, and of Trump promising security guarantees in any post-conflict settlement.
01:21With geopolitical crises also impacting on the global economy, the outlook is a bleak one.
01:27For some in Davos, it's not all bad news.
01:31Chaos creates opportunities, and firms that are nimble, that are willing to act fast, that
01:39are willing to act strategically, will do better.
01:42So I think this turbulence is going to increase the difference between the best, the most productive
01:51firms and those that are lagging.
01:55Of course, Trump's visit has intensified the media spotlight on Davos.
01:59Whether this year's event will be remembered for dialogue or discord remains to be seen.
02:04One thing that is beyond dispute is that there's a great deal of ice left to break.
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