Aids and climate top Davos agenda

Climate change and the fight against Aids are leading the list of concerns for the first day of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos.

Some 2,000 business and political leaders from around the globe will listen to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's opening speech on Wednesday. Mr Blair will focus on Africa's development plans and global warming. Earlier in the day came an update on efforts to have 3 million people on anti-Aids drugs by the end of 2005. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said 700,000 people in poor countries were on life-extending drugs - up from 440,000 six months earlier but amounting to only 12% of the 5.8 million who needed them. A $2bn "funding gap" still stood in the way of hitting the 2005 target, the WHO said.

The themes to be stressed by Mr Blair - whose attendance was announced at the last minute - are those he wants to dominate the UK's chairmanship of the G8 group of industrialised states. Other issues to be discussed at the five-day conference range from China's

economic power to Iraq's future after this Sunday's elections. Aside from Mr Blair, more than 20 other world leaders are expected to attend including French President Jacques Chirac - due to speak by video link after bad weather delayed his helicopter - and South African President Thabo Mbeki, whose arrival has been delayed by Ivory Coast peace talks. The Ukraine's new president, Viktor Yushchenko, will also be there - as will newly elected Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. Showbiz figures will also put in an appearance, from U2 frontman Bono - a well-known campaigner on trade and development issues - to Angelina Jolie, a goodwill campaigner for the UN on refugees.

Unlike previous years, protests against the WEF are expected to be muted. Anti-globalisation campaigners have called off a demonstration planned for the weekend. At the same time, about 100,000 people are expected to converge on the Brazilian resort of Porto Alegre for the World Social Forum - the so-called "anti-Davos" for campaigners against globalisation, for fair trade, and many other causes.

In contrast, the Davos forum is dominated by business issues - from outsourcing to corporate leadership - with bosses of more than a fifth of the world's 500 largest companies scheduled to attend. A survey published on the eve of the conference by PricewaterhouseCoopers said four in ten business leaders were "very confident" that their companies would see sales rise in 2005. Asian and American executives, however, were much more confident than their European counterparts. But the political discussions, focusing on Iran, Iraq and China, are likely to dominate media attention.
