Shangri-La Dialogue cancelled amid Covid-19 uncertainties

Singapore

THIS year's Shangri-La Dialogue that was due to take place in Singapore on June 4-5 is cancelled "in light of the deteriorating global Covid-19 situation", said organiser International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) on Thursday.

This came just three days after the World Economic Forum's (WEF) special annual meeting to be held in Singapore in August was scrapped. As recent as Monday night, IISS had said that the security summit remained on track.

The Shangri-La Dialogue was expected to be attended by a wide range of defence ministers, senior officials, corporate leaders and influential strategists from Asia, North America, the Middle East and Europe.

It was previously announced that the dialogue would be a fully in-person event held within a bubble at the Shangri-La Hotel. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had confirmed his attendance, while Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga had been invited to headline as keynote speaker.

"In Singapore, there has been a rise in local cases, the introduction of new restrictions, and the prospect of further tightening cannot be ruled out, all of which creates uncertainty," said IISS in a statement. "Taken together, these various factors mean that holding an in-person Shangri-La Dialogue this year has become unviable."

GET BT IN YOUR INBOX DAILY

Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign UpVIEW ALL

The Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said that it supports the decision to cancel the Shangri-La Dialogue this year. "Although regretful, it is the responsible course, with the health and safety of the local community and participants as the foremost consideration," said Mindef.

In a Facebook post, Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen wrote that the Covid-19 pandemic "has not abated, and indeed taken a turn for the worse", especially in parts of Asia, aggravated by more infectious variants.

"The next few weeks will remain challenging and uncertain," he noted.

But he emphasised that the cancellation "in no way reflects any reduced commitment to dialogue and engagement to promote peace and stability in Asia and beyond".

"We will find alternate and safer avenues for these important goals," he wrote.

The ISS Shangri-La Dialogue is expected to make a return in the middle of next year.

Another face-to-face event, the IISS Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, which was convened in 2020, is expected to take place on Nov 19-21, 2021.

Dylan Sharma, vice-president, Advocacy & Communications, Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS) said that the cancellation represents "yet another significant setback to the return of safe events".

"We understand that it's a challenging time for the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) industry, in particular the SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), many of whom are in a state of flux and trying their very best to navigate the uncertainty," he said in a statement.

"But we remain confident that the only viable pathway out of the crisis is the continued resilience of the players within the MICE industry, and that will see us emerge from this crisis stronger and strengthen Singapore's position as a safe and attractive MICE destination."

Singapore has seen a rise in Covid-19 community cases this month, with several unlinked cases. This led to the second deferment of the Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble on Monday.

The government has since announced a new wave of Covid-19 restrictions, which include a month-long ban on dining-in and a further reduction of social gatherings from five people to two. Working from home is now the default for workplaces.