The World Economic Forum (WEF) met from January to February 1 in Davos, Switzerland, as it does every year to assess the world's ills; hopefully, to propose solutions to the problems.

As usual, leaders of governments, industry, nobel laureates and anyone who is anybody made the trek up the mountain to tackle the problems of the moment. This year is particularly difficult given the financial and economic crisis that no one seems to get a handle on, in spite of a largesse of bailouts all over the world.

When asked, some of the participants thought that the financial situation would start to improve by the end of 2009, others by 2010 and still others after 2010. No brilliant solutions emerged from the 'retreat' and apart from a resolve to conclude the Doha trade round before the end of this year and suggestions to reform the World Bank and the IMF, very little else was accomplished.

This may explain why the media gave a lot of coverage to Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan walking out on Israeli President Shimon Peres during one of the sessions on the Middle East.

In spite of the lack of any significant landmark decisions or conclusions there were some interesting, but again, not entirely novel, personal observations. Some examples are UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown's statement that the World Bank and the IMF were out of date, nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz's call for the involvement of more countries in the decision-making process and Kofi Annan's observation that the world faces a 'crisis of governance'.

In fact, these were the major topics dealt with in another meeting, the World Social Forum (WSF), which was taking place simultaneously, half way around the world in Belem, Brazil, attended by the presidents of Brazil, Venezuela and other Latin American countries and about 100,000 participants.

Although the topics did not vary much in either meeting, the social forum laid the blame fair and square in the laps of the developed countries for allowing the financial crisis to happen and for taking action only when it was too late. While in Davos there were also statements to the effect that the Western world has been living well beyond its means, the blame was put on institutions that failed capitalism, and hence the call for the reform of these.

Does it help to have two forums taking place thousands of miles from each other discussing similar topics but seeing the problems from their own separate perspectives? Shouldn't the two come together rather than meet independently?

This would make a lot of sense even though there is so much antagonism between the two groups. Some years ago, the WEF tried to include some representation from the WSF, but this did not work. Brazilian president Lula da Silva received the greatest applause - this time when he declared that he would never attend the Davos Forum.

So it does not look too hopeful that the two forums will meet as one soon.

Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General, said in Davos that the crisis of global governance, emphasised by both forums, required drastic changes in the United Nations.

This is an opportune time to launch these drastic changes. There seems to be consensus now and agreement with Brown that as the World Bank and the IMF are out of date, so is the United Nations, which like these institutions was also established in 1945.

There seems also to be consensus resulting from both WEF and WSF that more countries need to take part in the decision process on matters of globalisation and other matters of importance to the world. This will have to start with changes in the UN Security Council, in addition to giving more voice to the developing countries in the World Bank and the IMF.

Another change needed would be for the General Assembly of the United Nations to include the private sector and the NGOs in its debates. Isn't it, after all, the role of the UN to bring alternative points of view under one roof?

This would mean a drastic change in the way the UN works, but it would bring together the up-until now, largely separated participants of the WEF and WSF forums.

Until this is done, Davos will continue to be perceived by some as part of the problem rather than the solution.

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