IMF and World Bank to hold fall meetings virtually

The IMF and World Bank Group announced Thursday that their annual fall meetings will be mostly virtual due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"As we continue to monitor the situation of Covid-19 around the world, and given the ongoing health concerns related to the pandemic, the Managements of the IMF and World Bank Group recommend that the 2020 IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings, to take place in the week of October 12-18, be held in a primarily virtual format this year," the two organizations said in a joint statement.

IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva and WBG president David Malpass said they will be "flexible with the format of the meetings in light of developments."

"Our goal is to serve our membership effectively while ensuring the health and safety of Annual Meetings' participants, staff, and the local community in the Washington DC area," they said in the statement.

The groups' spring meetings were held virtually in April as the United States -- after China and Europe -- was battered by the coronavirus, forcing many states into lockdown.

Normally, the meetings draw tens of thousands of participants from around the world.