(Ecofin Agency) - Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), announced the postponement of the Africa Investment Forum, initially scheduled for December 1-3. The decision stemmed from the international travel restrictions imposed due to the new Covid-19 variant known as Omicron.

"The emergence of the Omicron variant has changed everything. Travel has been cancelled, travel restrictions have been placed here and there […] Delegations that wanted to travel, can't make it. We must put the lives of people first. We have to be sensitive and we have to be responsible,” said Dr Adesina, during a press briefing today in Abidjan.

Many countries have closed their borders due to the virus, preventing delegations to travel and attending the meeting. No further detail was given as to when the conference would take place.

As a reminder, the omicron variant was first reported in South Africa on November 25.