IMF head Christine Lagarde omits investment conference in Saudi Arabia


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The Saudi event, known as "Davos in the Desert," has seen an exodus of business leaders, including the CEOs of JPMorgan (JPM) and Uber, following the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist who criticized the Saudi government.

The IMF said Tuesday in a statement that Lagarde's trip to the Middle East for the conference "is postponed".

The cases boycott the big conference of Saudi Arabia. Here is what is still happening

This is a sudden change of position on the part of the fund's general manager, who said Saturday that she still planned to attend the event despite horrific information about the disappearance from Khashoggi.

The Saudi journalist, who has worked for the Washington Post, has not been seen since entering the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul on October 2.

Turkish officials told CNN that he had been killed inside the consulate. The Saudi authorities have so far claimed that Khashoggi had left the consulate the same day of his arrival, but they provided no evidence to support this claim.

Lagarde said Saturday that his job was "to lead the IMF's business around the world and with many governments." But she added that she would be "very attentive to the information that will be broadcast" in the coming days.

The IMF did not immediately respond Tuesday night to a request for comment on its change of plan.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is among the most prominent personalities who declare their intention to attend the Saudi conference, as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's plan to reorganize the economy. of the country dependent on oil.

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