Brief

<p>Parag Khanna, best-selling author and leading international affairs expert, depicted a visionary mapping of today&rsquo;s hyper-connected world. Using connectography maps, he argued that expanding transportation, energy grids and communication networks has reshaped the political geography, adding a layer of functional geography to the world map. </p> <p>Cities and countries are nowadays more connected and interdependent while infrastructure spending is increasing to meet the needs of a growing urbanized population.&nbsp; In fact, mega-city archipelagos drive the world economy as, in many countries, the capital city often represents up to 50% of the national GDP. Khanna explained that global trade is additive and not substitutive, which is helping to boost interregional economic growth. He confirmed that Globalization is still a robust phenomenon; the international tension associated to it is basically meant to control its value and not stop it. Parag Khanna extols also digital connectivity as the power of the present time, enabling easy financial flows and transactions with the increased infrastructure and telecom spending. Moreover, Khanna suggested that there is today more global migration than ever. Although some countries are building walls, wired fences are being unrolled in other parts of the world. As a matter of fact, African countries are looking to bringing down borders in order to create a visa free region. Dubai is also a perfect model of fast-growing cities as regards connectivity and openness to mobility. China is spanning its connectivity with its 14 neighboring countries and beyond through investment in railways, oil pipelines and power grids. The new interregional trade routes are destined to reverse the old economic and political order, as China becomes a two-ocean power in the Eurasian space and the Middle East countries forge post-colonial borders.</p> <p>Finally, for Khanna, the world is currently moving toward greater connectivity with multiregional powers and global civilization.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Speakers

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