The horrific events in Paris and northern Nigeria have underlined again how troubled and fragmented our world is. Religious extremism and sectarianism is fueling terrorism and widespread conflict which has forced millions in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere to flee. Aggressive nationalism and politics based on prejudice and a false view of identity is on the increase in many countries. Disease and hunger continue to take a terrible toll.
Yet we know what needs to be done, for example, to end the Ebola disaster, halt climate change, rid our world of hunger and begin the difficult process of healing deep divisions in our societies. Our failure is not because of a lack of knowledge or global resources but leadership and resolve — by politicians but also throughout society. How we put this right must be at the heart of all discussions at Davos this week.
Let’s start with Ebola. We have known about this disease for 40 years, how deadly it is, how it is transmitted and how to prevent infection. Yet we have lost thousands of lives already to the epidemic in West Africa and only now have the resources, from within countries and outside, been mobilized to halt it.
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The views expressed in this commentary are solely those of Kofi Annan.
