World Economic Forum defers Davos meeting amid pandemic

[ZURICH] The World Economic Forum (WEF) postponed until mid-2022 its annual meeting that had been due to take place in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos in January, the organisers said on Monday (Dec 20).

The event, a meeting point for the world's business and political leaders, has been postponed in light of continued uncertainty over the Omicron outbreak, it said.

The high-powered meeting scheduled for Jan 17-21 will instead be held in "early summer", the organisers said. This is not the first time WEF has postponed its annual meeting due to the coronavirus pandemic. It had repeatedly shifted and postponed its 2021 meeting in Singapore before cancelling the event in May.

Last year's edition was cancelled because of the pandemic and Swiss authorities have recently stepped up health restrictions sharply to control a fifth coronavirus wave.

"Despite the meeting's stringent health protocols, the transmissibility of Omicron and its impact on travel and mobility have made deferral necessary," the WEF said.

The body will instead organise online "State of the World" sessions to get global leaders talking.

Forum chief Klaus Schwab promised "continued digital convening of leaders from business, government and civil society". "We look forward to bringing leaders together in person soon," he added.

The Davos meeting in January 2021, held virtually because of the pandemic, came at the height of wrangles over vaccine distribution between wealthy and worse-off countries and the manufacturers.

REUTERS, AFP