World Economic Forum chief warns rout will spur migration to Europe

As the crash in commodities prices spreads economic woe across the developing world, Europe could face a wave of migration that will eclipse today’s refugee crisis, says Klaus Schwab, executive chairman of the World Economic Forum.

“Look how many countries in Africa, for example, depend on the income from oil exports,” Mr Schwab said ahead of the WEF’s 46th annual meeting, in the Swiss resort of Davos.

“Now imagine 1bn inhabitants, imagine they all move north,” he said.

Whereas much of the discussion about commodities has focused on the economic and market impact, Mr Schwab said he is also concerned that it will also spur “a substantial social breakdown”.

That fits into what Mr Schwab, the founder of the WEF, calls the time of “unexpected consequences” we now live in.

In the modern era, it is harder for policy-makers to know the impact of their actions, which has led to “erosion of trust in decision makers.”

“The normal citizen today is overwhelmed by the complexity and rapidity of what’s happening, not only in the political world but also the technological field,” said Mr Schwab.

That sense of dislocation has led to the rise of radical political leaders, who tap into a rich vein of anger to promote xenophobic policies.

For reason to prevail, Mr Schwab said, “we have to re-establish a sense that we all are in the same boat”.

World leaders, influential executives, bankers, and policy-makers are due to attend the four-day gathering in Davos from Wednesday.