German Chancellor Angela Merkel addresses the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)DAVOS, Switzerland – World leaders in favor of international cooperation and free trade struck back Wednesday against the wave of populist nationalism that has featured more prominently than usual at the gathering of elites in Davos, Switzerland.
As a dizzying array of heads of state – from Poland to Columbia to Rwanda – addressed the political and business tycoons, the question of global cooperation emerged as a dividing line. The leaders of Japan and Germany – countries that have flourished on trade since their devastation under nationalist leaders in World War II – focused on the need for cooperation.
It was a not-so-subtle dig at earlier speeches by the populist president of Brazil and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who said governments should focus more on national self-interest over international rules.
“I believe that it’s worth bringing together like-minded people around the world, because anything else will lead us into despair,” said German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
She said efforts to combat global problems – from an economic slowdown to tensions over trade, Brexit and migration – “will only function if we are able to compromise.”