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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Ferghal Blaney

Micheal Martin and Leo Varadkar to jet off to Davos for World Economic Forum

Micheál Martin and Leo Varadkar will be jetting off to the luxury ski resort of Davos for the World Economic Forum next week.

The Taoiseach and Tánaiste will represent the Government at the world’s most exclusive business and politics networking event.

They will be among leaders from 50 nations that will be in Switzerland for the unique hob-nobbing gathering that goes on all week.

This is the first time in two years that the Forum has gone ahead in person because Covid meant it had to be cancelled last year.

Davos was held virtually in January 2021 with Russian President Vladimir Putin one of the main speakers.

There will be no Russian delegation at next week’s event after they were disinvited by the World Economic Forum organisers.

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address the summit via video link while around a dozen officials from his country will attend in person.

WEF founder Klaus Schwab said: “Russia’s aggression on the country will be seen in future history books as the breakdown of the post-World War II and post-Cold War order."

Extra Covid caution has also led to the event being moved from its traditional January date to May this year because of the Omicron variant.

The Taoiseach will be taking part in a high-profile discussion on Wednesday about “European Unity in a Disordered World?”

Mr Martin will be joined in the discussion by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger, ECB President Christine Lagarde and President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola.

Leo Varadkar will be taking part in a number of other fringe events.

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