Swiss police and army prepare for challenging WEF
The security environment and the threat situation require police and army members at the World Economic Forum (WEF) to carry out more extensive operations than a year ago. High-ranking visitors and a special pre-WEF session on Ukraine create additional demands.
With the conference on Ukraine the Sunday before the actual WEF annual meeting starts on Monday, security arrangements must be in place a day in advance, said security operations manager Walter Schlegel in a media briefing in Davos on Friday.
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The checkpoints on the way to Davos will therefore be in operation from Sunday. The airspace was closed on Friday. The large number of people in need of special protection makes additional measures necessary this year. Among others, Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky from Ukraine, Emmanuel Macron from France and Isaac Herzog from Israel are coming to Davos.
A total of 52 kilometers of protective fencing was built around Davos. The police are supported by around 5,000 army personnel. According to the federal government, the additional costs for security amount to around CHF9 million ($10.6 million).
Swiss-Ukraine ties
Also on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated the new Swiss President Viola Amherd, who took over the rotating post on January 1, and wished her well in her tenure. This was according to post on X by Zelenksy who noted that the two had spoken earlier in the day.
He expressed appreciation for Switzerland’s support and during the phone conversation, emphasised the growing dynamics of the bilateral dialogue between Ukraine and Switzerland, the short message continued.
Zelensky also thanked Switzerland for organising the Ukraine conference planned before the WEF meeting. “Following the Lugano conference, this meeting will be Switzerland’s second significant international event in support of Ukraine,” Zelensky wrote.
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