PUBLIC FORUMS
The 189-nation International Monetary Fund
and its sister lending organization, the World
Bank, announced that they will replace their
regular spring meetings in Washington with a
“virtual format” in response to the coronavirus.
In a joint statement, IMF Managing Director
Kristalina Georgieva and World Bank President
David Malpass said their decision was being
made given “growing health concerns related to
the virus.”
The two global lending organizations normally
hold an annual spring meeting in Washington,
where they both have their headquarters. This
year’s meeting had been scheduled for the week
of April 13.
The statement said that the agency would fully
employ their Information Technology facilities
“to the fullest” to allow member countries to
hold essential policy consultations that would
have taken place in person.
CORPORATE TRAVEL
Ford Motor Co. has banned all corporate
air travel with few exceptions due to the
coronavirus outbreak.
In a memo to employees, CEO Jim Hackett said
the ban would last through March 27 and would
be reviewed weekly.
The restrictions are among the most severe with
regard to U.S. corporations. The decision was
based on statements by government infectious
disease specialists, the message said.
The memo said exceptions would have to be
approved by senior management. They have