Representatives from Central European governments and businesses gathered at the Polish Business Hub in Davos to discuss how regional cooperation enhances European security and economic strength.
Cooperation in Complex Geopolitical Realities
The need for cooperation is unquestionable at the Davos summit, which brings together 65 heads of state and 850 global business leaders. The question is what form this cooperation should take—based on force and violence or on partnerships that benefit all parties equally. On the first day, representatives from Central European governments discussed this at the Polish Business Hub, a space created by Polish business in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Affairs and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
Digital Development as a Key to Economic Growth
Rafał Rosiński, Poland’s Deputy Minister of Digital Affairs, emphasized the role of the state and its public digital services in economic development. He spoke extensively about cooperation at multiple levels, particularly between business and science, as well as between public administration and business. Rosiński also noted that Poland is inviting countries and businesses from across Europe, including the CEE region, to participate in its major digital projects, including AI development like Gigafactory.
Security and Economic Development Go Hand in Hand
Estonia’s Minister of Economy and Industry, Erkki Keldo, pointed out that countries in Central Europe are well aware of who their eastern neighbors in the EU and NATO are and where the line of democratic values lies. While competition exists in the region and the EU, partnership and cooperation are far more important. Keldo also noted that strengthening security and economic development can go hand in hand, as exemplified by the IT sector and new technologies in general.
Uniting for Regional Security and Resilience
Lithuania’s Deputy Minister of Finance, Janus Kizenevic, agreed that after 2022, everyone understood the need to seek friends and unite forces in Central Europe and beyond to jointly strengthen the security and resilience of countries and societies. He added that financing the defense sector is no longer seen as toxic but as something that can serve economic development.
Digital Sovereignty and Public-Private Partnerships
During a discussion on the role of digitalization and the technological revolution in reshaping public services, Bartosz Łopiński, president of Billennium, emphasized the importance of digital sovereignty and public-private partnerships.