ABIDJAN, March 5 (Reuters) - A high-level business
conference due to take place in Ivory Coast next week has been
postponed, signalling heightened concern over the spread of
coronavirus in Africa, which has registered relatively few
cases.
But as infections spread across Asia, Europe and the United
States and led to the cancellation of conferences and sporting
and cultural events around the world, Nigeria and Senegal in
West Africa reported five cases in the past week.
The Africa CEO Forum had some 1,800 participants last year,
and this year's edition included appearances by the presidents
of Ivory Coast and Senegal as well as Nigeria's vice-president.
Senior officials from companies including Huawei HWT.UL ,
Total TOT.TO , Air France AIRF.PA , General Electric GE.N ,
Mastercard MA.N , Maersk MAERSKb.CO and Societe Generale
SOGN.PA were expected to attend.
But in an email on Wednesday, organisers of the event, which
was due to be held in Ivory Coast's commercial capital Abidjan
on March 9 and 10, said it was on hold. No coronavirus cases
have been confirmed in Ivory Coast, which is French-speaking
West Africa's largest economy.
"We regret to inform you that in light of the circumstances
around the COVID-19 coronavirus, the Africa CEO Forum has been
postponed to a later date, which will be announced shortly,"
they wrote.
The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank will
adopt a "virtual format" for their Spring Meetings next month
instead of convening in person in Washington. Senegalese authorities reported two new cases of coronavirus
on Wednesday, bringing the total to four since the first case
was confirmed there on Monday. Experts say it is not yet clear why sub-Saharan African
countries have registered so few cases of the virus, which could
challenge fragile health systems on the continent.