A flower parterre with the logo reading 'World Economic Forum' is seen ahead of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2019 in Dalian, Liaoning Province of China. Photo: Chen Junmin/Visual China Group via Getty Images
Cover A flower parterre with the logo reading 'World Economic Forum' is seen ahead of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2019 in Dalian, Liaoning Province of China. Photo: Chen Junmin/Visual China Group via Getty Images

The forum is looking to hold its next meeting in the first half of 2022 after considering the Covid-19 situation around the world

The World Economic Forum's (WEF) special annual meeting which was due to take place in Singapore in August this year has officially been cancelled as a result of global uncertainties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

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In their announcement, the World Economic Forum said: "Regretfully, the tragic circumstances unfolding across geographies, an uncertain travel outlook, differing speeds of vaccination rollout and the uncertainty around new variants combine to make it impossible to realise a global meeting with business, government and civil society leaders from all over the world at the scale which was planned. This is despite the excellent support provided by the Government of Singapore."

Singapore was supposed to host the special annual meeting in May but it was postponed to August 17 to 20 considering the Covid-19 travel restrictions around the world. 

Klaus Schwab, the World Economic Forum's founder and executive chairman had actually visited Singapore in February to prepare for the August meeting.

In response to the cancellation, he said: "It was a difficult decision, particularly in view of the great interest of our partners to come together not just virtually but in person and to contribute to a more resilient, more inclusive and more sustainable world. But ultimately the health and safety of everyone concerned is our highest priority."

The forum has said that the next annual meeting will take place in the first half of 2022 with the location and date to be decided after the Covid-19 situation is assessed later this summer. 

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