Singapore to host Bloomberg New Economy Forum in November; 400 business, government leaders to attend
The Singapore city skyline as seen from Jubilee Bridge (Photo: Jeremy Long)
SINGAPORE: The Bloomberg New Economy Forum will be held in Singapore from Nov 16 to Nov 19, bringing together business and government leaders and academics from around the world to discuss issues affecting the global economy.
The annual conference was held online last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This year's conference will be limited to about 400 delegates to ensure safety, Bloomberg Media said in a press release on Thursday (May 6).
Singapore hosted the inaugural edition of the forum in 2018.
"I am pleased that Singapore has been chosen to host the 2021 Bloomberg New Economy Forum, where business leaders will convene to discuss pertinent global issues," said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
"Health and safety remains Singapore's top priority, and we will work closely with the Bloomberg team to create a safe and conducive environment to welcome all delegates here in November."
The forum is a chance for delegates to talk to each other about issues including the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 and uneven global access to vaccines, said Bloomberg's chairman and former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.
"The pandemic has shown how interconnected we are and why cooperation is critical," he said.
"We're looking forward to returning to Singapore, one of the world’s most innovative cities and home of the inaugural forum."
Delegates will join a programme to develop a global recovery strategy for the worst economic crisis since World War II, said Bloomberg Media.
"Face-to-face exchanges in Singapore will help define priorities, workshop ideas and explore scenarios to move the world forward in the year ahead," said the company.
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Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing said Bloomberg's decision to host the forum in Singapore was an "affirmation of Singapore's competitive strengths".
"To convene such significant global meetings for participants to connect meaningfully, we need to be more than an efficient and safe event organiser," he said in a Facebook post.
"We must also be able to contribute intellectual capital to the discussions, and command the trust among participants by being a principled player."
He said Singapore must not be complacent, but maintain vigilance, closely monitor the rapidly evolving COVID-19 threat and put in place necessary measures to keep people safe.
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The Bloomberg New Economy Forum is among a number of global conferences set to be held in Singapore this year.
The Shangri-La Dialogue will be held from Jun 4 to Jun 5, after the annual defence conference was cancelled last year due to the pandemic.
A World Economic Forum Special Annual Meeting will convene from Aug 17 to Aug 20, after being rescheduled from May.
