Every two years the Forum brings together high-level policymakers, academics, financial executives and experts to exchange views on current developments in banking and supervision.
What disruptors are challenging our status quo, and how should banks respond to prevalent uncertainty? How are geopolitics shaping the financial sector? Have a look at the programme and join inspiring discussions.
The conference will take place on 13 and 14 November 2025 in Frankfurt am Main.
See the conference programme here:
https://www.bankingsupervision.europa.eu/press/conferences/html/20251113_6th_ECB_Forum_Banking_supervision.en.html
Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)
Minister in The Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni briefs members of the media on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, 12 November 2025.
Can farming be productive and profitable but without damaging nature and
adding to greenhouse gases?
As COP30 begins in Belém, Brazil, we hear from a Brazilian entrepreneur involved in regenerative agriculture in Brazil, in a podcast co-hosted with the World Economic Forum’s Tropical Forest Alliance.
Hosts:
Robin Pomeroy, host, Radio Davos
Danielle Carreira, Head of Finance, Tropical Forest Alliance
Guest:
Luis Fernando Laranja da Fonseca, CEO, Grupo Caapora
Links:
Tropical Forest Alliance: https://www.tropicalforestalliance.org/home
Innovative Finance for the Amazon, Cerrado and Chaco (IFACC): www.ifacc-initiative.org
Grupo Caapora: https://grupocaapora.com.br/
Related blogs:
COP30 in Brazil: What is at stake: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/11/what-is-cop30-what-is-at-stake-climate-nature-action/
Ahead of COP30, a new era of forest restoration and resilience is taking root: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/11/cop30-new-era-of-forest-restoration-and-resilience/
Related podcasts:
Why our future must be ‘nature positive’: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/nature-positive-marco-lambertini/
Humans rely on the ocean. Here’s how both can thrive: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/ocean-marine-prosperity-areas/
Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts:
YouTube: – https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts
Radio Davos – subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164
Meet the Leader – subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560
Agenda Dialogues – subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552
Join the World Economic Forum Podcast Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wefpodcastclub
The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. It provides a global, impartial and not-for-profit platform for meaningful connection between stakeholders to establish trust, and build initiatives for cooperation and progress.
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AU-UN ANNUAL CONFERENCE
The 9th African Union–UN annual conference is taking place at the UN Headquarters.
The high-level discussions started earlier this morning and are co-chaired by the Secretary-General and Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
The annual meeting is focusing on progress in the implementation of the cooperation frameworks between the two organizations, but also on the joint action and challenges linked to peace, security, development and human rights.
Discussions include topics such as financing for development, climate action, as well as the implementation of the African strategy for women, peace and security agenda.
SUDAN
The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, is in Sudan, to see firsthand the immense suffering and to help identify solutions to this deepening humanitarian crisis. Mr. Fletcher is currently traveling towards Darfur, where he is expected to meet families who fled the recent violence in El Fasher, a city he described as “already the scene of catastrophic levels of human suffering” that has now “descended into an even darker hell.’ Mr. Fletcher is expected to also meet with aid workers who are trying to help all those in need despite insecurity they are facing, access constraints and, as you heard, severe funding shortages. Mr. Fletcher, as you will recall, recently allocated $20 million from the OCHA-managed Central Emergency Response Fund to scale up life-saving aid in Tawila, Darfur and Kordofan.
And as I mentioned, we hope to have Mr. Fletcher brief you after he’s visited Darfur.
Yesterday, Mr. Fletcher was in Port Sudan where he met with General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, President of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan. Their discussions focused on improving humanitarian access across Sudan. Mr. Fletcher conveyed out appreciation for the Government’s stated commitment to facilitate the delivery of essential aid wherever it is needed.
While in Port Sudan, he also met with the Sudanese Foreign Minister, Mohieldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim, and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, who was also in Sudan. They discussed urgent steps to reach people in need across Sudan, from Darfur to the Kordofan. Mr. Fletcher expressed his gratitude for their partnership and commitment to facilitate neutral and impartial humanitarian access.
Mr. Fletcher, while in Port Sudan, also met with our UN and country team staff.
Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2025-11-12
Secretary-General António Guterres said, “The world must not turn its back on Africa, home to nearly one-fifth of humanity. The stakes are too high. And the potential is too great.”
The Secretary-General and Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, the African Union Commission Chairperson, spoke to reporters following the annual African Union United Nations Conference.
Guterres reiterated that the cooperation between the two organizations has never been stronger — or more necessary.
The UN chief highlighted that Africa’s history is as old as humanity. Its resources are vast – and have driven the growth of many economies. However, its progress is held back by an outdated and unfair global financial system.
Guterres said, “The time has come to reform this financial architecture – so it reflects the world of today and better serves the needs of developing countries, particularly in Africa.”
The Secretary-General reiterated, “It must become more inclusive, representative, equitable and effective,” explaining that it means “giving developing countries more meaningful participation in global financial institutions. Tripling the lending capacity of multilateral development banks. And easing debt burdens with new instruments that reduce the cost of capital, lower borrowing costs, extend maturity, align debt service to the ability to pay, and speed up sovereign debt resolution for countries facing debt distress.”
The UN chief also reaffirmed his full support for the AU’s Silencing the Guns initiative.
In Sudan, Guterres is “gravely” concern by recent reports of mass atrocities and gross human rights violations in El Fasher and worsening violence in the Kordofans.
He said, “The flow of weapons and fighters from external parties must be cut off. The flow of humanitarian aid must be able to quickly reach civilians in need. The hostilities must stop.”
The Secretary-General called on the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to engage with his Personal Envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, and “take swift, tangible steps toward a negotiated settlement.”
In the eastern reaches of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Guterres noted that decades of conflict have created a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions – with 5.7 million people displaced and 21 million in need of lifesaving aid. Services are collapsing. Cholera on the rise. Hope is on the run.
The UN chief said, “Donors must step up – with meaningful support for the vastly underfunded Humanitarian Response Plan. Combatants must stand down – so peace agreements can be implemented without delay. Parties must honour their commitments under the Washington Peace Agreement and Doha Declaration of Principles, and comply fully with Security Council resolution 2773.”
“The DRC’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected. And the root causes of the instability and violence in eastern DRC must be addressed,” Guterres added.
For his part, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, said that the AU is committed to work with all parties and stakeholders at the United Nations to “achieve a transparent, equitable, unjust reform of the UN Security Council.”
“These reforms are indeed of paramount importance and would ultimately consolidate the multilateral system,” Youssouf said.
He also highlighted that the two organizations are faced with financial strains.
“We need to adapt our actions and programs to the new realities,” the Chairperson said, adding that “it is critical to continue to support peace operations, the fight against terrorism, conflict prevention and resolution, and also focus most of our efforts on humanitarian affairs.”
Asked about the decision from the United States to not attend the upcoming G20 in South Africa, the AU chairperson said, “It is indeed unfortunate that the United States boycott this G20 summit.”
He continued, “let me reassure you. I think the African continent has decided to take its destiny on its hands. And we are definitely working to increase the self-reliance. We are working to mobilize domestic resources for our development programs and the whole rhetorics and narratives is changing.”
AU-UN ANNUAL CONFERENCE
The 9th African Union–UN annual conference is taking place at the UN Headquarters.
The high-level discussions started earlier this morning and are co-chaired by the Secretary-General and Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
The annual meeting is focusing on progress in the implementation of the cooperation frameworks between the two organizations, but also on the joint action and challenges linked to peace, security, development and human rights.
Discussions include topics such as financing for development, climate action, as well as the implementation of the African strategy for women, peace and security agenda.
SUDAN
The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, is in Sudan, to see firsthand the immense suffering and to help identify solutions to this deepening humanitarian crisis. Mr. Fletcher is currently traveling towards Darfur, where he is expected to meet families who fled the recent violence in El Fasher, a city he described as “already the scene of catastrophic levels of human suffering” that has now “descended into an even darker hell.’ Mr. Fletcher is expected to also meet with aid workers who are trying to help all those in need despite insecurity they are facing, access constraints and, as you heard, severe funding shortages. Mr. Fletcher, as you will recall, recently allocated $20 million from the OCHA-managed Central Emergency Response Fund to scale up life-saving aid in Tawila, Darfur and Kordofan.
And as I mentioned, we hope to have Mr. Fletcher brief you after he’s visited Darfur.
Yesterday, Mr. Fletcher was in Port Sudan where he met with General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, President of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan. Their discussions focused on improving humanitarian access across Sudan. Mr. Fletcher conveyed out appreciation for the Government’s stated commitment to facilitate the delivery of essential aid wherever it is needed.
While in Port Sudan, he also met with the Sudanese Foreign Minister, Mohieldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim, and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, who was also in Sudan. They discussed urgent steps to reach people in need across Sudan, from Darfur to the Kordofan. Mr. Fletcher expressed his gratitude for their partnership and commitment to facilitate neutral and impartial humanitarian access.
Mr. Fletcher, while in Port Sudan, also met with our UN and country team staff.
Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2025-11-12
United Nations Human rights expert on Haiti, William O’Neill has described conditions of prisons in Haiti as inhuman and degrading. Speaking to UN News, the designated expert said, ‘the conditions are subhuman, frankly. Unbelievably crowded and hot. There’s not enough food. There’s very little access to medical care.’
Mr. O’Neil added that the country’s justice system has struggled to function effectively. Cases are not being tried quickly enough and 82 per cent of prisoners are being held in detention while they await their trial.
