Congress of Vienna 2015

Congress of Vienna 2015

October 22-25,2015 — Vienna, Austria

Mission

Like its namesake predecessor of two centuries ago, the Congress of Vienna 2015 was a gathering of knowledgeable individuals convened to consider ways to promote international cooperation on matters important for stability and peace across three major challenges – management of major power relations, forced migration and economic inequality. Our aim was to encourage fresh thinking regarding:

  • the principles and rules governing the conduct of the major powers in order to develop durable solutions to the problems we face in a time of significant demographic, economic and geopolitical change;
  • the historically high numbers – and prospectively larger continuing numbers – of forcibly displaced persons, located predominantly in poorer countries; very limited resettlement or returning populations; and a critical need for gainful employment of the displaced as a precondition of their inclusion as productive members of a community; and
  • the paradox of significant technological advance featuring enhanced productivity, but producing only slow growth in aggregate national productivity, slow output growth and widening disparity of income and wealth distribution.

Scope and Agenda

At the Congress Meetings in October 2015 in Vienna, one day was devoted to each of the challenges identified – the management of major power relations, forced migration and economic inequality followed by a discussion on the most effective mechanisms for implementing the ideas and solutions proposed. In the months leading up to the Congress, in collaboration with leading policy organizations and university centers the Foundation has commissioned 17 papers from a number of international experts setting out the best thinking on relevant topics. The Foundation hosted 9 workshops in advance of the Congress to solicit a range of perspectives on the issues and the papers themselves.

Management of Major Power Relations

The central question for the Congress was how to identify realistic, implementable principles and rules to govern the behavior of the major powers – the United States, the European Union, China, Japan, Russia, and India – so that their competing interests are managed without conflict and their shared interests are brought to the forefront. Chief among the latter are the avoidance of armed conflict, achievement of global financial stability, access to needed supplies and markets, economic viability, a healthy environment and an end to terrorism. We sought to answer the questions:

  • How does each of the major powers seek to shape the world order?
  • What are the fundamental issues of agreement and disagreement among the major powers?
  • How do we move toward greater cooperation and stability?

Forced Migration and Its Challenges

According to UNHCR’s estimate, 60 million people are forcibly displaced. Of these 20 million are cross-border refugees and 38 million are displaced within their country of origin. Fully 86% of refugees are in developing nations, with 3.6 million in the least developed countries.

While, obviously, the first order of priority is to resolve the root causes of forced migration, policy must be made on the premise that a large number of people will be forced to leave their homes because of conflict and persecution. Additionally, large numbers will be forced to flee terrible economic conditions and still others will be displaced by the consequences of climate change. While sustainable global solutions are being sought – such as repatriation and resettlement – ways to help refugees become self-reliant and to assist hosting states is a requirement.

  • How can we offer refugees opportunities where they can work lawfully and have access to education and job training in their host country to achieve economic self-sufficiency?
  • How can the international community help share the economic and social burden that large numbers of refugees place on hosting states?
  • Could adoption of a new development-based approach help host communities see refugees as a potential economic benefit instead of a threat?
  • Could economic inclusion lead to forced-migrant communities feeling less socially alienated and discriminated against – exclusion being a recipe for discontent and future instability?

Technology, Innovation and Economic Inequality

While economic growth has brought tremendous benefits to the world’s wealthiest, over 1 billion people – 1 in 7 of all individuals alive today – live on less that $1.25 a day. While many have been lifted out of extreme poverty in recent decades, the measures of the distribution of wealth, income and opportunity between and within countries reveal increasing levels of inequality. Wide disparities hurt everyone. A high level of income inequality harms social and health outcomes, heightens political polarization, stunts economic growth and increases the chances of violent conflict both within countries and across borders – all of which make for a less stable world. There is now widespread concern that technological innovation – a tide that was expected to raise all boats – has in fact contributed to the problem of economic inequality by further concentrating wealth among those fortunate and best-equipped – by accident of birth, education and location – to live amidst and take advantage of technological advances and their economic spinoffs.

There is a need for creative policy solutions to redress global technological and innovation- fueled disparities. Among the questions we addressed:

  • What role does technological innovation play in the current dynamics of inequality?
  • How can the benefits of technological innovation be more broadly and fairly distributed, while innovation itself continues to be stimulated?
  • What actions can transnational corporations, national governments, and international organizations take to reduce innovation-related inequalities?
  • Might international agreements among the major powers, or more universal ones play an ameliorating role?

An Effective Mechanism for Implementation Discussion

A concluding session discussed:

  • Have some proposed new and workable principles and rules been identified?
  • What is the best method to implement them and assure compliance?
  • How can serious and solution-oriented dialogue among the major powers on challenging issues be stimulated?
  • What is the best forum to expose common aspirations, reconcile competing interests and curb excessive nationalism?
  • Can the major powers make room for the voices of the less powerful?

An open-minded, informed, and respectful dialogue among those gathered sought to stimulate the search for practical ideas for achieving a durably peaceful, stable, and fair world order, as well as a broad and engaged public to arrive at outcomes for a better global community.

Status

  • The Congress of Vienna 2015 was held from October 22-25, 2015 in Vienna, Austria
  • The discussions on the 3 major challenges gave rise to further study in subsequent Foundation projects:
    • Three Powers and World Order
    • The World Commission on Forced Displacement and Merchant Bank
    • Productive Equity I: Technology and The Twin Challenges of Reviving Productivity and Reducing Inequality
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