WEF confirms 2002 relocation to New York

The WEF sought assurance that the US could provide sufficient security for the summit swissinfo.ch

The World Economic Forum has confirmed that its 2002 summit will be held in New York City, rather than the traditional Davos.

WEF organizers made the announcement Tuesday evening, following a day of speculation that the annual summit, which has been held in the Graubünden resort of Davos for the past 30 years, would be moved to New York.

The reports said, however, that the move is temporary, and the economic summit is expected to be held in Davos again in 2003.

The decision to move the summit came at a meeting at the parliament building, under the leadership of Economics Minister Pascal Couchepin.

The decision came amid security concerns after the WEF, like other global organisations, was increasingly targeted by protesters.

Government ministers had held talks with the WEF boss, Klaus Schwab, on Monday, but they had refused to comment for most of Tuesday on rumours that they had decided to move the summit.

Swiss media said the official silence was being maintained while the WEF sought assurances from the United States that it could provide sufficient security for the summit.

The Swiss government said an official announcement on the future location of the conference would be made in Bern on Wednesday.

New York seen as top contender

Media reports said New York had emerged as a likely contender because of the symbolism of holding the WEF’s annual meeting in a city attacked by terrorists. The summit is the world’s most high-profile gathering of business and political leaders.

The New York Times said Schwab was due to meet on Wednesday with New York’s mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, and the state governor, George Pataki, to discuss holding the forum in the city from January 31 to February 5.

The paper said several large hotels, including the Waldorf-Astoria in mid-town Manhattan, were being considered for the meeting.

WEF bosses have been considering locations other than the Graubünden resort of Davos, both for security reasons and because of growing opposition to the summit because of the protests that invariably follow it.

The head of Switzerland’s business federation, Rudolf Ramsauer, said the size of the summit was increasingly unmanageable for a small resort like Davos.

“[The summit] has become bigger and bigger – it’s been a vast success – but I think everybody agrees that the concept needs to be re-thought.

“What’s really important is that ‘Davos’ comes back to Davos because it is… something unique and, if it did not happen anymore, it would not be just a big loss to the economy but also to political life in this country.”

Anti-globalisation protesters

Like other meetings of business and political leaders, such as the G8 summit in Genoa, the WEF meeting has increasingly been targeted by anti-globalisation protesters.

Last year, Davos was turned into a fortress as security personnel tried to keep anti-globalisation protesters at bay.

Protesters unable to reach the resort instead vented their anger on the city of Zurich, smashing windows, damaging cars and starting fires.

Television images of police firing water cannon to disperse crowds prompted allegations that the authorities were stifling debate and brutally suppressing freedom of movement and expression.

The Graubünden authorities have also balked at the costs of holding the meeting, which is estimated at about SFr10 million ($6 million).

The WEF is known to have considered other locations for the summit, including the Canadian ski resort of Whistler in British Columbia.

Whistler information officer, Diana Waltmann, said the town, the province and WEF organisers have been holding discussions on the possibility on relocation “some time down the line”, but that it would not happen for another three to four years, if at all.

Whistler lies about 125 kilometres north of Vancouver, and is easily sealed off since there is only one major highway leading to it and it is surrounded by mountains.

swissinfo with agencies