The World Economic Forum (WEF) is to hold next year’s annual meeting in Singapore instead of its traditional home of Switzerland, which is battling a rising number of COVID-19 infections.
The high-profile gathering, which attracts leaders across government, finance and economics, is to be held in the city-state from May 13 to 16 and return to Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, in 2022, the forum said.
The meeting is to include a virtual component to allow greater participation, the Singaporean Ministry of Trade and Industry said.
Singapore was chosen because it has reported a relatively low number of COVID-19 cases and has started experimenting with modified versions of large-scale conferences.
Earlier this year, the forum had said that it would move next year’s meeting within Switzerland to the Burgenstock resort.
Switzerland is fighting a surge in COVID-19 infections and has reported about 54,000 new cases in the past two weeks, almost as many as Singapore has reported since the pandemic began.
“The Special Annual Meeting 2021 will be a place for leaders from business, government and civil society to meet in person for the first time since the start of the global pandemic,” World Economic Forum founder and executive chairman Klaus Schwab said.
The forum’s annual meeting has previously attracted political leaders such as US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, as well as a parade of billionaires, executives and celebrities to debate global challenges.
Singapore brought the pandemic under control by instigating strict regulations, such as a two-month partial lockdown, requiring masks to be worn and limiting social gatherings. That has allowed the economy to gradually reopen since mid-June, with cases of local transmission dwindling to low single digits or zero, while most new cases are imported.
“Despite the ongoing pandemic, we are confident that Singapore will be able to continue maintaining public health and safety, while supporting the WEF’s mission to effect positive change through collaboration and engagement,” Singaporean Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing (陳振聲) said in a statement.
Singapore has been pushing forward with reopening its meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions sector. The city-state since Oct. 1 has accepted applications for conventions that could host as many as 250 people, with certain restrictions.
Its pandemic-era approach to large-scale business meetings got a test run during Singapore International Energy Week in October. Attendees at the conference, held at the Marina Bay Sands hotel, were required to take a rapid COVID-19 test, with results within 30 minutes, and download a contact-tracing app.
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