ZURICH/SINGAPORE- The World Economic Forum has cancelled its annual meeting – the blueribbon event for the global elite to discuss the world’s problems – due to be held in Singapore this year, the organizers said on Monday.
The COVID-19 pandemic meant it was not possible to hold such a large event as planned on Aug. 17-20, they said.
“Regretfully, the tragic circumstances unfolding across geographies, an uncertain travel outlook, differing speeds of vaccination roll out and the uncertainty around new variants combine to make it impossible to realize a global meeting with business, government and civil society leaders from all over the world at the scale which was planned,” the WEF said in a statement.
The event, which attracts VIPs from the worlds of politics and business, has been held since 1971.
It was shifted from the Swiss Alpine resort of Davos in December over concerns about safeguarding the health of participants.
Separately, the Shangri-La Dialogue Asian security summit, which is to take place from June 4—5, plans to go ahead with the event.
“IISS remains on track to convene the 19th Shangri-La Dialogue in person in Singapore in early June,” the organizer, the International Institute for Strategic Studies said in a statement.
“The World Economic Forum’s decision does not affect our plans. We have a full line-up of ministers and other senior leaders from around the world planning to attend our event,” said IISS.
