International Conference Schedules Disrupted Due to COVID-19 Impact... ADB Annual Meeting Postponed to September

Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board Meeting Moved from Songdo, Incheon to Geneva, Switzerland

Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority and 15 international organizations including the GCF (Green Climate Fund) are located in Incheon Songdo G Tower, which was urgently closed on the 20th due to the occurrence of COVID-19 confirmed cases.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] As the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis prolongs, schedules for international conferences planned to be held domestically are also facing disruptions.

According to Incheon City on the 21st, the "2020 53rd Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB)" originally scheduled to be held at Songdo Convensia in Incheon this May has been postponed to September.

The Ministry of Strategy and Finance and the Asian Development Bank agreed to postpone the schedule from May 2-5 to September 18-21, prioritizing the safety of domestic and international participants and the public amid the global spread of COVID-19. Although the schedule has changed, the venue remains the same, Songdo Convensia in Incheon.

Accordingly, in the first half of the year, agenda items related to financial reports will be handled in a simplified manner at the ADB headquarters in Manila, Philippines, while the remaining events such as the Governors' Annual Meeting important agenda, Governors' Seminar, and ministerial-level meetings will be held as originally planned in Incheon in September.

The Asian Development Bank was established in 1966 to promote economic growth and economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and to provide development funds to member countries. A total of 68 countries are members.

Incheon City plans to prepare without disruption for the Incheon investment attraction briefing, finance and tourism forums, and regional cultural events planned during the ADB Annual Meeting period, aligning them with the September schedule.

A city official said, "We will actively support the postponed Annual Meeting in September to ensure it is held safely and successfully," adding, "We urge local companies and financial institutions to participate more actively in business seminars and side events to network with ADB member countries and promote global marketing to help revive the sluggish regional economy."

Earlier, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) meeting, an international organization under the United Nations, also changed its venue due to the impact of COVID-19.

The GCF had originally planned to hold its 25th Board of Directors meeting from the 8th to the 12th of this month at Songdo in Incheon, but as COVID-19 showed signs of spreading domestically, the meeting venue was changed to Geneva, Switzerland.

However, as COVID-19 rapidly spread in Europe and the situation reversed sharply, three GCF staff members who attended the board meeting in Geneva were subsequently confirmed positive for COVID-19 after returning to Korea, making the venue change a source of concern for community transmission of COVID-19.

A 50-year-old Canadian national, Mr. A, attended the Geneva meeting and entered Korea through Incheon Airport on the 16th. After undergoing specimen testing at Inha University Hospital on the 17th, he was finally confirmed positive on the 19th.

A 57-year-old Gambian national, Mr. B, also attended the Geneva meeting and was confirmed positive on the 20th after returning on the 16th. Notably, during his self-quarantine period on the 17th, he visited the 12th and 15th floors of G Tower in Songdo, where the GCF Secretariat is located.

Additionally, a man in his 50s from the Philippines, Mr. C, attended the Geneva meeting, stopped by Dubai and the Philippines, and after returning on the 16th, tested positive in the initial COVID-19 test.

Among the 40 GCF staff members who attended the Geneva meeting, 22 have entered Korea, while the remaining 18 have returned to their home countries for remote work.

Incheon City is conducting specimen tests on close contacts of the confirmed GCF cases and strengthening monitoring of those who attended the Geneva meeting. Furthermore, G Tower, which houses 15 international organizations and public institutions including the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, was urgently closed from the 20th to the 22nd.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.