Preparing for a post-coronavirus global arena at the DiploTech Conference

The conference will be held in collaboration with The Jerusalem Post Group, at the initiative of former ambassador Danny Danon.

DECEMBER 10, 2020 17:55

NIKKI HALEY and Danny Danon talk before a Security Council vote at UN headquarters in 2018. (photo credit: SHANNON STAPLETON / REUTERS) — NIKKI HALEY and Danny Danon talk before a Security Council vote at UN headquarters in 2018.

(photo credit: SHANNON STAPLETON / REUTERS)

How can the new world cope best with the greatest global challenges and proactively prepare for the post-coronavirus era? These questions and more will be answered by world leaders, heads of state, foreign ministers, policymakers, diplomats, investors and entrepreneurs, as part of the DiploTech World Conference 2020 set to be broadcast from Tel Aviv (12/16 at 6:00 PM Israel 12:00 PM).

The conference will be held in collaboration with The Jerusalem Post Group, at the initiative of former ambassador Danny Danon, Israel’s 17th permanent representative to the UN and Israel’s former science and technology minister, and led by Yossi Sagol, the developer and chairman of Sagol Holdings. Among the keynote speakers will be: former United States ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, Danny Danon, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Félix Tshisekedi, President of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernández, Guatemala Foreign Minister Pedro Brolo Vila, among others. Industry participants include Chairman and Chief Technology Officer at Diagnostic Robotics Kira Radinsky, vice chairman of Watergen Michael Rotman, Commerical VP for Green Walls, Vertical Field Meggie Abecasis and CEO of Britannica Knowledge Systems Asher Dagan, among others. All the panel discussions are designed to explore and provide insight into the challenges and trends we currently face as a global company.

Hosted by Liz Claman, the main presenter of Fox Business’ “The Claman Countdown,” the first panel will explore the latest pioneering Israeli technologies that break boundaries and accelerate sustainable solutions. The second panel will discuss how Israeli technologies provide solutions to new problems that arose during the Corona.

On the idea that led to the launch of the International Conference, Danon stated: “I have completed five years of a challenging mission at the UN. During the mission, I forged connections with hundreds of leaders from around the world and recognized, even before the coronavirus, their desire to connect with Israel around technology and health issues. I initiated delegations of ambassadors who came to Israel who met the chief of staff, heard about the security situation and the threats hovering over the State of Israel, but when I analyzed the visit with them, what consistently came up was that Israeli technology and entrepreneurship left the main impression on them. I realized that we have a tremendous potential to strengthen Israel’s status through these things.”

“With the outbreak of the coronavirus crisis, I received calls from my colleagues, ambassadors and also the president, who rang to share and convey a message of a call for help. Some described very difficult situations. There were countries where bodies were laid on the streets. At the same time, all countries cared only for themselves. I said: Precisely at this time, when everyone is busy with themselves, we need to think about what we need to do to reach out to others. They will greatly appreciate it. We have not yet emerged from the crisis but we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We talk about ourselves in terms of the start-up nation, and this is an opportunity to prove that we have something to offer and something to contribute. Many countries understand that borders and passport control give a sense of security, but in practice we have seen that it does not really stop threats like epidemics, cyber threats or terrorism and today there is more openness than ever to the idea of cooperation between countries. The conference is intended to show how Israel helps other countries.”

That is, hi-tech and innovation provide opportunities to create new channels in the diplomacy service?

“It gives us leverage. If in the past diplomats were emissaries who passed on information about what was happening in Israel, today the information is available and anyone can reach it and therefore the solutions, developments and collaborations that Israel can offer are a significant part of today’s diplomacy. As Israel’s ambassador to the UN, I realized very quickly that I must change the discourse based on condemnations and decisions against Israel to another discourse, so I initiated many events that generated interest. Let’s take the Emirates as an example: I visited Dubai a few years ago. One of the things that really interested our hosts was, along with the political issues, Israeli technologies in various fields. This is a tool for anything and everything. This is also the case at all the meetings held with world leaders at the UN. On the subject of water in Africa, for example, I initiated a seminar attended by representatives of Israeli companies. Dozens of ambassadors came and sat and asked questions. It fascinated them. The same goes for technology and culture. It is true that the hostility has not disappeared, but it has dwindled and assimilated into other things.”

Israel is known as a start-up nation. What is Israel’s place in the corona crisis in the global aspect?

“We need to separate the issue of the handling of coronavirus with the ups and downs in the country’s performance, and the technologies coming out of Israel, where we are in a very good place. In the public sector there is room for learning and criticism. In the private sector, we continue to prove ourselves as the start-up nation. We must integrate private market standards within government systems as an existential necessity. In such a situation, it is impossible otherwise. Governments must understand that the private market must enter the picture. Governmental systems do not like it, but every campaign requires real cooperation and different standards both in speed and the quality of the response.”

What do you think will make the conference a success?

“Creating interest by diplomats, leaders, investors and companies in Israel and Israeli technologies. In my vision I see the conference opening a series of conferences. This year it is not possible because of the situation, but I believe next year we could see the leaders meet here. We should not take the concept of ‘start-up nation’ for granted. To keep our place, we need to get up every morning and prove ourselves. DiploTech2020 shows that we are still on the field, that we are part of the global crisis, that we are looking for solutions to it - and also finding them.”