Steering the global response to emerging threats at Davos
ISS managing director Anton du Plessis is in Davos to debate responses to transnational threats with global leaders.
Pretoria, South Africa – The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) managing director Anton du Plessis will attend this year’s World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Leaders in business, politics, academia, the non-governmental sector, religion and the media will be debating ‘The new global context’ – the theme of this year’s gathering.
The ISS is well positioned to engage with global decision makers and shape thinking at Davos this year. A key objective of the ISS is to identify emerging threats and develop responses that can improve stability and growth in Africa.
‘Geo-economics, politics and security are being challenged in unprecedented ways, including by terrorist and organised crime groups’, said du Plessis.
‘These are transnational threats that require innovative responses from many different stakeholders, including the private sector. The World Economic Forum is an excellent platform to discuss how to deal with these challenges in 2015’.
Terrorism is again at the top of the global agenda after recent attacks by extremists in Nigeria and France. Countering terrorism will no doubt feature prominently as world leaders gather in Davos.
‘I hope leaders will take time to reflect on the lessons from the first global war on terror in the post 9/11 period’ said du Plessis. ‘The last thing the world needs now is a new war on terror that allows countries to flex their executive muscles at the expense of human rights, due process and the rule of law’.
The ISS will share its expertise, based on research and training across Africa, to highlight the risks of getting counter-terrorism wrong. Du Plessis is experienced in helping build capacity to effectively respond to terrorism, transnational threats and international crime.
At Davos, he will present a summary of key insights from the entire WEF annual meeting to the panel on security, governance and multilateral cooperation. He will also participate in several side events and expert discussions.
Du Plessis has served as vice-chair of the WEF’s Global Agenda Council on Terrorism. He currently serves on the Meta-Council on the Illicit Economy, and the Global Agenda Council on Fragility, Violence and Conflict. His participation at Davos is made possible by the Dangote Foundation, which awarded fellowships to 13 of the WEF’s Young Global Leaders in 2014.
For more information, contact:
Anton du Plessis, +27 78 781 3619, [email protected] (to set up interviews, send an sms request). Follow Anton on Twitter @_AntonDP.
