{"id":3319,"date":"2018-10-17T03:49:25","date_gmt":"2018-10-17T03:49:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.styledeals.co.uk\/blog\/christine-lagarde-imf-chief-wont-attend-saudi-event\/"},"modified":"2018-10-17T03:49:25","modified_gmt":"2018-10-17T03:49:25","slug":"christine-lagarde-imf-chief-wont-attend-saudi-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.styledeals.co.uk\/blog\/christine-lagarde-imf-chief-wont-attend-saudi-event\/","title":{"rendered":"Christine Lagarde: IMF chief won’t attend Saudi event"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
<\/p>\n

\"ChristineImage copyright<\/span>
\n Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

IMF managing director Christine Lagarde will not attend an investment conference in Riyadh, as global concern over the disappearance of a Saudi journalist grows.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson said Ms Lagarde’s planned trip to the Middle East “is being deferred”. <\/p>\n

She becomes the latest high-profile name to pull out of the event dubbed “Davos of the Desert”.<\/p>\n

The moves have come amid outcry over missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi. <\/p>\n

Mr Khashoggi, a critic of the government and a columnist for the Washington Post, vanished on 2 October after visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.<\/p>\n

Authorities there believe he was killed in the building by Saudi agents, an accusation that the Saudi authorities have dismissed as “lies”.<\/p>\n

“The Managing Director’s previously scheduled trip to the Middle East region is being deferred,” an IMF spokesperson said in a statement, without providing further details.<\/p>\n

The decision marks a turnaround for Ms Lagarde, who had previously said she was “horrified” by reports<\/a> coming out of Turkey but would still attend the Saudi conference.<\/p>\n

HSBC’s John Flint, Tidjane Thiam of Credit Suisse<\/a> and JP Morgan’s Jamie Dimon<\/a> are among others who have withdrawn from the event. <\/p>\n