“An economist walks into a forum…”

Keystone

Given the parlous state of the world’s economy, it seems a little trite and irresponsible to highlight a few of the funnier comments coming out of Davos – so here goes.

I sat in on a key debate this morning looking at the weighty issue of European debt. When asked by an audience member how the EU could find a resolution to the crisis without unity, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble quipped:

“I would like to give you the mobile telephone number of [British Prime Minister] David Cameron. And that’s not a joke.”

Cameron has been busy at Davos lecturing EU members to get their acts together and stop tinkering with the debt problem. This at the same time as he steadfastly keeps Britain at arm’s length from the continentals.

Author and long-time WEF devotee Paulo Coelho heard a candidate for the most useless comment from an unnamed economist during another panel session.

“It’s very simple to explain: things are very complex.”

Of course, it’s hard to gauge from a Twitter post if the egghead in question was being totally serious or a touch ironic.

Another delegate twittered about a disappointing panel discussion, followed by a spot of bother in the toilets.

“Last energy session ruined by 25-min speech in Russian by Ukrainian President. His team then shoulder-barged folk out of the bathroom.”

Daily Telegraph journalist Jeremy Warner wondered whether the “bilateral prayer room” on offer in the congress centre was where “u can pray to God and he will pray back to you”.

But my favourite irreverent tweet of the week so far comes again from Coelho: “Journalists are always dealing with the art of seduction and betrayal”. So that’s what I’m doing here then.

Below: Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown shares a joke with Jean-Claude Biver, chairman of the board of the Swiss luxury brand Hublot.