World Economic Forum postpones Annual Meeting 2022 in Davos due to Omicron threat

The World Economic Forum (WEF) on Monday announced that it has deferred its Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland amid the Omicron outbreak. The Annual Meeting was scheduled to take place in Davos-Klosters between 17-21 January 2022. It is now planned to be held in early summer, the WEF informed.

"The World Economic Forum will defer its Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, in the light of continued uncertainty over the Omicron outbreak. The Annual Meeting was scheduled to take place in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland between 17-21 January 2022. It is now planned for early summer," the organisation said in a statement.

The meeting had been held virtually in January 2021 after repeated attempts to reschedule an in-person event were thwarted amid health concerns and logistical hassles owing to the COVID pandemic. The World Health Organization confirmed that Omicron, a highly contagious form initially discovered last month in southern Africa and Hong Kong, has spread throughout the globe and has been reported in 89 countries.

Theme of Davos World Economic Forum

The theme of the Annual Meeting this year is “Working Together, Restoring Trust” after the ravages of COVID that “has exacerbated fractures across society,” the forum said. The forum had planned to host the high-profile gathering of elites in the Swiss Alps with "appropriate and adapted health safety measures", it said.

“In a world full of uncertainty and tension, personal dialogue is more important than ever,” forum founder Klaus Schwab said in a statement. “Leaders have an obligation to work together and build trust, increase global cooperation and work towards sustainable, bold solutions.” 

Notably, last month, the president of the World Economic Forum (WEF) had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. During the meet, PM highlighted India's efforts towards strengthening the fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic and the economic reforms undertaken in the past few months.

(With agency inputs)