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Experts in business, education, health and international relations are expected to discuss lessons learned during 100 days of the Covid-19 pandemic and provide recommendations to shape the new norm.

The experts, representing 20 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America will from June 15-19, 2020 at a week’s International Digital Summit, deliberate on the impact of the pandemic particularly 100 days since the first Covid-19 case was reported as it marked a significant global transformation experience globally.

The summit is expected to start with discourses on what countries and their economies were experiencing as a result of the global Covid-19 pandemic and the need to protect citizens in the current pandemic and future outbreaks.

This was in a statement issued by the Summit Organizing Committee and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra.

According to the statement, the pandemic had caused a mix of specific policy and universal actions, some of which had the potential to strain relations with pre-COVID-19 trade partners, desired trade partners, and geographical neighbours.

It said the economic crisis following the pandemic had put various problems and issues to the spotlight as progressively experts and businessmen were making statements against sanctions and other political restrictions interrupting free and fair global trade, especially the ones between European countries and Russia and Iran.

Expert discussions, the statement noted, will examine the present status of the pandemic and what was impending, the aftermath and how the global economies could plan a path to recovery and a robust new normal.

“Experts in the fields of management consultancy and change management will walk audience through practical strategies that will make organisations and business operations robust, as well as hyper-vigilant and prepared for future epidemics” the statement said.

Vaiva Adomaityte, CEO of ADMIS Consultancy and member of the Summit Organizing Committee explained that one hundred days of Covid-19 had highlighted the tremendous importance of business resilience and adaptability to change within the organisational structure.

However, she said the uncertainty within businesses was caused by changes in political situations, international trading and regulatory impact highlighting the future opportunities for the worldwide governance model and cooperation between all of the sectors.

The week-long digital summit, she intimated is aimed at discussing precisely how the “New Norm Model” should look like and what lessons 100 days of COVID-19 has thought the world.

Michael Schumann, President, Federal Association of Economic Development and Foreign Trade (BWM) in Germany who will touch on the impact of the pandemic on international trade and economy, will also speak introductorily on the “Political Implications of COVID-19: Changing the International Relations Landscape” on June 17.

“Member of German Bundestag, Stefan Keuter and Researcher Mirijam Zwingli will discuss preventive and reactive measures taken by the government as will Journalist, Stephan K. Ossenkopp, Prof. Zoran Vitorovich, Yulia Afanaseva and Andrey Gorokhov talk extensively about the new normality in geopolitics and science diplomacy. Laurence Ndong, a female politician and educator from Gabon, Professor Jose Malemulane from Mozambique, and Nathalie Yamb, politician form Ivory Coast will take turns to discuss the revision of the role of France and CFA currency by African countries in their policies.

Marco Enríquez-Ominami, Ex-presidential candidate and leader of Grupo de Puebla, Former Executive Secretary of the Continental and Caribbean Organization of Latin American Students, Henrique Domingues, Yamil Quispe, Co-founder of the Pacifica will deliberate on the situation in South America, especially Chile, Brazil and Argentina while, Sergey Brilev, President of the Global Energy Association will speak on the future of sustainable development and emerging trends of the energy sector.” It said.

“Middle East and Arab countries perception will be provided by Dr Fouad AlGhaffari from Yemen, Nabeel Abdalla Al Kaeath form Iraq, Dina Rashad from Egypt and situation in India and BRICS countries will be discussed by Purnima Anand (BRICS International Forum), Amitava Mukherjee, Professor Jagdish Khatri, Shivani Rai, Apoorv Garg and Summi Taneja.

Lessons learnt in Italy, Serbia and UK, the statement concluded will be presented by Marco Filipe, Crisis Manager, Marija Janjusevic, Member of the Serbian Parliament, Vaiva Adomaityte and Henry Chuks, Change Experts and Nikolay Kazantzev, IoT expert.