In a world in crisis, the Aix Economic Meetings want to "recreate hope"

Expected at the end of this economic high mass, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne finally gave up going there because, according to Matignon, of the riots which ignited France after the death of Nahel, killed by a police officer during a road check.

Slowing economic growth, purchasing power eaten away by inflation, social tensions, climate change, geopolitical risk... In an environment marked by a convergence of crises, the organizers want to create the conditions for a way out of the crisis rather than sink into pessimism.

For three days, some sixty debates will be accessible free of charge to the general public and broadcast on the Internet, bringing together some 380 economists, political leaders from all sides, business leaders, trade unionists and other representatives of civil society of some forty nationalities around subjects resolutely turned towards the future.

"Rebound Abilities"

"The Covid plays an absolutely major role in the history of humanity. The release of the Covid is first and foremost a huge scientific victory", underlines Jean-Hervé Lorenzi, the president of the Rencontres d'Aix.

"From that moment, the companies reconstitute themselves because the references which were theirs (...) are on the table", he continues, questioned by AFP.

“In fact, we see that our societies, and in particular French society, carry within them a lot of rebound capacities,” notes the economist. "A few urgent matters still need to be resolved", foremost among which he cites housing, the labor market and education.

"If you have housing capacity, people will be more mobile. If you have more suitable remuneration, jobs will be taken. All of this presupposes training as well as an educational system that does not exclude and forms more satisfactory".

These themes are on the program, like many others, such as the new relationship to work, the industrial renaissance, the awakening of ecological awareness, the role of companies in society, mobility issues, new ways of democracy, progress medicine, energy transition or even sustainable growth...

Will be present the Minister of Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire, the President of the European Central Bank (ECB) Christine Lagarde, the Senegalese President Macky Sall, his Georgian counterpart Salomé Zourabichvili, the Prime Minister of Djibouti Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed or even the CEO of TotalEnergies Patrick Pouyanné.

Make way for young people

At a time when the government wants to cut billions of euros in spending to straighten out France's ailing finances, the resolution of emergencies such as housing is more a matter of political will than a question of funding, judge M Lorenzi.

"I think that most of the subjects that we have to deal with in our country are quite manageable", he underlines: "most of the problems are political problems".

And on public finances, he pleads for "a reorganization of the mode of operation of public power" rather than "planing".

Under the theme "hope in a world of violence", the inaugural session on Friday will bring together the mayor of Kiev Vitali Klitschko, the president of Amnesty International Anjhula Mya Singh Bais, the assistant secretary general of NATO Mircea Geoana as well as the journalist and writer Abnousse Shalmani.

This 23rd edition of the Meetings also wants to give pride of place to young people, placed at the heart of the economic debate. Elisabeth Borne was originally to share the stage with four of them on Sunday.

Instead of the traditional final declaration, the Meetings will end on Sunday with a manifesto which will aim to rally all the stakeholders and will cover themes such as the social integration of young people, the employment of seniors, training and action public.