Three Opportunities For Cooperation In Davos

This week, as people gather in Washington for Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th President of the United States, leaders from business, government, philanthropy, and non-profit sectors are also gathering in Davos for the World Economic Forum 2025 edition (WEF 2025). High on the agenda, according to WEF President Børge Brende in a recent New York Times article, is fostering cooperation in areas where mutual self-interest makes collaboration possible.

While one interpretation of last year’s electoral outcomes might suggest a retreat from cooperation, Brende argues otherwise, asserting that the results reflected frustration with incumbents rather than a rejection of global collaboration. Exhausted from conflict, global food crises, economic strain, and ever-frequent and more devastating natural disasters, voters worldwide threw out governments they blamed for inaction.

Brende makes the case that “the message was clear: people are seeking new and more effective solutions to their challenges—solutions that can only emerge through cooperation.” The question is not, therefore, whether they should cooperate, but how—and on what issues.

Here are three opportunities where I think leaders attending WEF 2025 in Davos can drive cooperation—not only to deliver tangible impact but to build a healthier, more equitable world that benefits everyone:

1. Strengthening Global Health Security Through Immunization Programs

In a world still recovering from the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic, the urgency of strengthening global health systems cannot be overstated. Programs like those facilitated by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, have proven to be one of the most effective tools for preventing disease outbreaks and saving lives. Immunization, after all, is the most basic yet vital health intervention—keeping kids alive and healthy while preventing unnecessary deaths from preventable diseases.

Yet, as infectious diseases like measles and polio resurge in underserved regions, sustained investment is essential to immunize vulnerable populations and prevent future pandemics. Even in 2025, too many children die from preventable causes per UNICEF annual reporting.

Since the spread of infectious diseases anywhere is a global threat, leaders in Davos should prioritize global health by committing funding to organizations like Gavi. This funding doesn’t just save lives—it strengthens health systems, prepares nations for future pandemics, and builds public trust.

Ahead of a pledging moment to be co-hosted by the European Commission and the Gates Foundation in March, Gavi seeks $9 billion for the next five years to immunize 500 million more children. Failing to act and deliver on this risks reversing decades of progress, leaving millions at risk, and undermining global growth and stability.

2. Protecting the Amazon And Global Biodiversity

Protecting the Amazon is a global imperative. As the “lungs of the planet,” it is nearing an irreversible tipping point due to deforestation, illegal mining, and land degradation. According to organizations like Re:wild, this vital carbon sink absorbs billions of tons of CO2 annually (roughly the amount of carbon emitted by 450 million cars burning gasoline for a whole year), stabilizing the Earth’s climate. If it reaches a tipping point, preserving other ecosystems will become far harder, accelerating global climate instability and potentially amplifying the severity of natural disasters, such as the devastating fires in California this month. In short, the Amazon is the planet’s canary in the coal mine—its health is directly tied to its survival.

At Davos, leaders have the opportunity to prioritize cooperation to protect the Amazon and other critical ecosystems, laying the groundwork for the UN’s COP30 climate talks to be held in Brazil later this year. This includes mobilizing financial resources for sustainable development, enforcing environmental protections, and empowering indigenous communities who are key stewards of these lands. To this end, President Lula has called on the private sector and philanthropy to contribute $1 billion towards this effort by COP30, given the global public benefit protecting the Amazon provides.

3. Accelerating the Renewable Energy Transition In Africa

With the world facing the dual crises of climate change and energy insecurity, scaling renewable energy solutions cheaply and equitably has become one of the urgent challenges of our time to overcome. Nowhere is this need more urgent than in Africa, where nearly 600 million people still lack access to electricity, yet the potential for solar, wind, and hydropower is immense.

Africa is brimming with potential—a young, dynamic population, abundant resources, and untapped markets make it a future global engine for growth. Yet, intentional investment in seizing that potential remains insufficient.

To be clear, investing in renewable energy is also a mutually beneficial endeavor. For example, by leveraging public investment through the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative, Europe is unlocking private sector capital, opening new markets for European businesses across the continent, and reducing reliance on Russian gas and fossil fuels. And it goes without saying that supporting Africa’s sustainable growth also helps mitigate climate change, which, as seen in last year’s floods in Spain, impacts wealthy nations too.

At WEF 2025, leaders must prioritize actions that close the financing gap for renewable energy projects in Africa and other underserved regions. Governments, development banks, and corporations should support the urgent need to quadruple renewable energy capacity in Africa by 2030, aligning with global climate goals and the International Energy Agency’s recommendations while addressing energy poverty.

A Call for Collaborative Leadership At WEF 2025

I agree with Brende’s optimism: “The global landscape of today is less predictable and more chaotic. But it doesn’t have to be less collaborative.” In a world facing unprecedented challenges, cooperation is not just desirable—it is imperative. Leaders attending WEF 2025 in Davos have the opportunity to demonstrate that collaboration, even in turbulent times, is the key to addressing humanity’s most pressing issues.

The theme of the WEF this year is Collaboration for the Intelligent Age. Still, while I’m in Davos, I’ll be thinking about opportunities for Intelligent Collaboration Today because tackling the challenges before us—from the health of our people, our economies, and our planet—requires more than lofty rhetoric. It calls for immediate, tangible, collaborative interventions that yield real results.

With time running out short on a number of challenges as leaders gather for WEF 2025, the stakes for cooperation have never been higher.