icnb 2024 Roundtable discussion

Kompass Global Leadership Roundtable on Nation-Building, Wellness and Peace in the World of Disparity

In a world marked by profound disparities, the Kompass Global Leadership Roundtable on Nation-Building, Wellness, and Peace emerges as a crucial platform for addressing the complex challenges that confront us today.

When all three elements work together, namely nation-building, wellness and peace, they create a comprehensive framework for holistic and sustainable progress. Nation-building focuses on creating a strong foundation for a country’s growth, including its infrastructure, institutions, and policies. Wellness ensures that individuals are healthy, happy and have longevity of life. Peace provides the stable environment necessary for development and wellness to thrive.
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Moderator:

Main idea: Inequality is a global issue affecting income, wealth, and opportunities.
Important points:

Income inequality: Measured by Gini coefficient, it has widened globally but improved in Thailand over 30 years.
Wealth inequality: More severe than income inequality, with the top 10% owning most wealth globally and in Thailand.
Opportunity inequality: Access to education and healthcare is limited for poorer families, perpetuating poverty cycles.

Dr. Don Nakornthab,
Senior Director of Reserve Management Department, Bank of Thailand

Roundtable discussion:

Main idea: Inequality is a global disappointment stemming from external developments and domestic policies.
Important points:

Unequal access to opportunities: Inhibits growth in education, jobs, financial services, and healthcare.
Globalization: Has led to unequal benefits among different segments of society.
Technological advancement: Benefits people disproportionately due to differing education and skill levels.

1. Dr. Bandid Nijathaworn,
Chair of Foundation for Public Policy and Good Governance

Main idea: Wealth distribution in France shows persistent inequality, with a focus on real estate and financial assets.
Important points:

Wealth concentration: 54% of France's wealth is owned by 10% of citizens.
Asset-driven wealth increase: Mainly from real estate value and financial assets, not work or savings.
Proposed solution: Incentivize wealthy individuals to invest in job-creating businesses rather than redistributing wealth.

2. Mr. Thibault Danjou,
International Consultant, Member of the Investment Committee of Phitrust Asia, Expert for the European Commission, MBA University of Chicago

Main idea: Poverty eradication should be the primary focus, with corruption as the main obstacle.
Important points:

Peace as prerequisite: Emphasized that peace must come before nation-building and wellness.
Focus on poverty: Argued that inequality is less important than addressing absolute poverty.
TPP map: Highlighted a digital tool to identify and target poor people in Thailand for assistance.

3. H.E. Korn Dabbaransi,
Former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, Minister of Science and Technology, Minister of Public Health of Thailand

Main idea: Digital divide is a significant problem, but there are promising public-private partnerships addressing it.
Important points:

Digital divide statistics: Only half of people in developed countries have reliable internet access, with worse situations in emerging countries.
Corporate initiatives: Examples of Microsoft, Facebook, and Visa collaborating with NGOs and governments to improve digital access.
Policy suggestion: Proposed taxing digital ad revenues to fund internet access and digital literacy education.

4. Mr. Young-Gak Yun,
President of Asia Future Institute, Founder and Group Chairman of Pavilion Investment Group, South Korea

Main idea: Civil society initiatives are crucial in addressing inequalities at local levels.
Important points:

World Social Forum: Highlighted as an alternative to the World Economic Forum, championing bottom-up approaches.
Thai initiatives: Mentioned successful local projects like "truthful saving" and the Bureau Foundation's work with forgotten populations.
Micro-utopias: Emphasized the importance of small-scale, community-based solutions.

5. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gothom Arya,
Advisor of Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University

Main idea: Collaboration and culture are key to addressing inequality through public-private-people partnerships.
Important points:

Problem-solving skills: Emphasized the need to unlearn past approaches and relearn for the present and future.
Collaborative culture: Outlined four pillars - respect, trust, understanding, and kindness.
Implementation examples: Shared how this framework has been applied in the UK defense system and Global Fund.

6. Prof. Dr. Lalit Johri,
Former Senior Fellow and Director of Oxford Advanced Management and Leadership Programme, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

Main idea: International cooperation through UN frameworks is essential for addressing global inequalities.
Important points:

UN frameworks: Highlighted the International Conference on Population and Development and Sustainable Development Goals.
Gender equality: Emphasized the slow progress in achieving gender parity globally.
Private sector engagement: Suggested expanding the social aspect of ESG metrics in corporate responsibility.

7. Dr. Asa Torkelsson,
Chief of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Seoul representation office in South Korea, Former Country Director of UNFPA in Thailand

Main idea: The UN plays a crucial role in coordinating global efforts to address inequalities, but national ownership is key.
Important points:

UN structure: Explained the political and development arms of the UN and how they operate at country levels.
Funding challenges: Highlighted the limitations of ODA and the need for innovative financing solutions.
Corruption: Emphasized the importance of transparency in public procurement to attract investment and reduce inequality.

8. Mr. Sanjay Mathur,
Regional Director, Asia Region, United Nations Office for Project Services

Main idea: Innovative, community-centric approaches are needed to address poverty and inequality effectively.
Important points:

Community-based solutions: Proposed targeting poverty at community levels rather than individually.
Incentivized collaboration: Suggested creating incentives for cooperation between different sectors.
Innovative policies: Proposed ideas like "retirement exercise earned universal shareholdings" and corporate adoption of community poverty alleviation projects.

9. Prof. Dr. Kriengsak Chareonwongsak,
Chairman of Nation-Building Institute International