Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders, a close ally of President-elect Donald Trump, said on Thursday that she was planning to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. She will be there from Jan. 22 to 24.
The Arkansas Governor said she has plans to participate in two panels at the WEF meeting in Davos — one on smartphones, social media and the youth mental crisis hosted by The Anxious Generation author Jonathan Haidt, and the other with Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear to “discuss the governors’ priorities and the role of states in a presidential transition,” her office said.
She will also meet with business leaders, encouraging them to invest in Arkansas.
“Big Tech companies have driven massive increases in anxiety, depression, and suicide among our young people and I look forward to joining Jonathan Haidt in Davos to talk about this critical issue and how my administration is stepping up to hold Big Tech accountable,” said Governor Sanders.
“I also look forward to joining Governor Beshear and speaking to major international companies to tell Arkansas’ success story and encourage more investment in our state.”
Sanders previously served as Trump’s White House press secretary.
Trump does not plan to attend in person but will make a virtual appearance on Jan. 23.
Armed Conflict Top Global Risk
A WEF survey released on Wednesday has shown that armed conflict has emerged as the top global risk for 2025, highlighting the growing fragmentation of the world.
Nearly one in four of the more than 900 experts surveyed across academia, business and policy-making ranked armed conflict, including wars and terrorism, as the most severe global risk to economic growth for the year ahead.
Extreme weather, the number one concern in 2024, was the second-ranked danger.
“In a world marked by deepening divides and cascading risks, global leaders have a choice: to foster collaboration and resilience, or face compounding instability,” WEF Managing Director Mirek Dusek said in a statement accompanying the report.
“The stakes have never been higher.”
Zelenskyy To Attend WEF Meeting
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will attend the meeting and give a speech on Jan. 21, according to the WEF organisers.
Among other global leaders due to attend the meeting are European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and China’s Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang.
Syria, the “terrible humanitarian situation in Gaza” and the potential escalation of the conflict in the Middle East will be a focus at the gathering, according to WEF President and CEO Borge Brende.
(With inputs from Reuters)
