Activities of Secretary General in Switzerland, 20 24 January

On Monday, 20 January, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres departed New York for Switzerland. He arrived in Davos on Tuesday morning to attend the annual World Economic Forum.

On Tuesday evening, the Secretary-General participated in a leadership dialogue on digital and emerging technologies where he promoted the recently adopted Global Digital Compact as a tool that provides a new framework to help ensure that technology benefits all of humanity - guided by strong guardrails that minimize risks, while amplifying the benefits. He called on the private sector, the philanthropic community and Member States to work together, with their relative strengths, to ensure that artificial intelligence (AI) serves its highest purpose: advancing human progress, equality and dignity for all countries and all people.

The Secretary-General finished the day by delivering remarks at a dinner organized by the Global Investors for Sustainable Development.

Early on Wednesday morning, the Secretary-General delivered an address to the World Economic Forum. He outlined how climate change and ungoverned AI are two profound threats that demand much more attention and intelligent collaboration than they are receiving as they threaten to upend life as we know it.

He also used very pointed language at the parts of the private sector that are actively backtracking on climate goals. You are short-sighted and on the wrong side of history, Guterres said.

"To the corporate leaders who remain committed to climate action," the Secretary-General went on to say, "your leadership is needed now, more than ever. Do not back down. Stay on the right side of history."

Regarding artificial intelligence, the Secretary-General underscored how, through the Global Digital Compact, the United Nations is working with Governments, industry, and civil society to ensure that AI becomes a tool of opportunity, inclusion and progress for all people.

In remarks at a discussion afterwards with Børge Brende, President and CEO of the World Economic Forum, the Secretary-General said that we have witnessed in recent days in Gaza an example of robust diplomacy that should be recognized. (See Press Release SG/SM/22528.)

The Secretary-General also participated in the annual off-the-record "IGWELL" lunch organized by the World Economic Forum, and he also continued with a number of bilateral meetings, including Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Prime Minister of the Kurdish Autonomous Province of Iraq, Masoud Barzani, and also the President of the Inter-American Development Bank, Ilan Goldfajn.

The Secretary-General also participated in the annual off-the-record IGWELL lunch organized by the World Economic Forum.

On Thursday and Friday, Mr. Guterres attended the annual retreat with his Special and Personal Representatives and Envoys before leaving Switzerland.