Vadodara: Ongoing conflicts are hurting economies worldwide and increasing uncertainty for people and businesses, former prime minister of Finland and former Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) deputy secretary-general Mari Kiviniemi said in Vadodara on Wednesday.“My hope is that these conflicts end,” Kiviniemi said, calling for greater international efforts to resolve the unrest. Referring to the situation in West Asia and Ukraine, she said conflict-driven uncertainty was weighing on economies while causing suffering to people.Kiviniemi also spoke about rising tariffs and their impact on the global economy, urging countries to strengthen international cooperation, reduce tariffs and promote freer trade.“We all know that tariffs are harming all economies, including the United States itself. In the long run, economies will suffer,” she said.Kiviniemi was in Vadodara to participate in the Global Perspective Series organised by city-based Parul University, where she also interacted with students.On education and the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI), Kiviniemi urged students to strengthen critical-thinking skills and use AI as a learning tool rather than allowing it to replace independent thinking.“AI has already changed our lives, but what young people need is critical thinking. AI literacy is also important so that students can judge how to use AI in a way that they themselves continue to learn,” she said.The former Finnish prime minister said schools should continue to emphasise foundational skills such as reading and mathematics while introducing students to AI literacy from an early age.Speaking to the media, Kiviniemi also discussed the growing support for right-wing parties in parts of Europe. She attributed the trend partly to economic uncertainty, slow growth, unemployment and frustration among young people over their future prospects.Kiviniemi said govts needed to create adequate employment and welfare opportunities for younger generations.On immigration, Kiviniemi said immigrants were not the root cause of unemployment, although migration has become an important issue in political debates across several European countries.
