Mbabane – Civil society organisations in Eswatini aligned to the Fight Inequality Alliance have raised concerns over the legitimacy of decisions taken at the World Economic Forum currently underway in Davos, Switzerland, arguing that the gathering excludes communities most affected by global economic policies.
The concerns come as global political leaders and business executives meet this week at the annual World Economic Forum, a platform that shapes international agendas on finance, labour, climate action and public services. FIA Eswatini says despite its far reaching influence, the forum remains inaccessible to ordinary citizens, particularly those from developing countries such as the Kingdom of Eswatini.
The Fight Inequality Alliance is a global coalition of civil society organisations, trade unions, activists and grassroots movements working across continents on issues including labour rights, gender equality, climate justice and economic reform. The alliance says its mission is to rebalance power and wealth in societies where inequality continues to widen.
Speaking on behalf of the alliance, FIA Eswatini coordinator Thulisile Maziya said past World Economic Forum engagements have been marked by unequal participation, with global elites setting priorities that affect millions of people without their direct involvement.
“Decisions made at Davos have real consequences for workers, informal traders, women, youth and rural communities, yet these groups are not represented in the discussions,” Maziya said. “Policies that affect the majority of the world’s population cannot be legitimate if the majority is excluded from the decision making table.”
Maziya said the alliance’s position is shaped by wider global activism, including the recent 99 Percent People’s Dialogue held at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, which focused on participatory and community driven discussions around inequality. She contrasted this approach with the Davos forum, which she described as a closed space dominated by political and corporate elites.
According to FIA Eswatini, decisions and ideas emerging from the World Economic Forum often filter into national economies and social systems, influencing policies on land access, labour rights and climate resilience, including in countries like Eswatini. The alliance argues that inequality is not accidental but the result of systems designed to benefit a small and powerful minority.
The organisation has called on governments, international institutions and the private sector to rethink the tendency to treat elite gatherings as a reflection of global consensus. Maziya said lasting solutions to inequality would only be possible through meaningful engagement with communities and a fair redistribution of power and resources.
FIA Eswatini also urged citizens to remain vigilant and organised, saying sustained advocacy is necessary to challenge global platforms that place profit ahead of people, as the World Economic Forum continues in Davos this week.
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