Mobile World Congress bans some Russian companies from the show
India Today
The GSMA, which hosts the world’s largest trade show-Mobile World Congress, has said it will bar some Russian companies from participating in the event.
The GSMA, which hosts the world’s largest trade show-Mobile World Congress, has said it will bar some Russian companies from participating in the event. The GSMA has partially restricted the participation of Russian companies amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war. The Mobile World Congress is scheduled to take place in Barcelona from February 28 to March 3, 2022. This year, MWC is expected to host over 1500 exhibitors, including AWS, Lenovo, Samsung, Realme, Intel, and others. MWC had been plagued with exhibitor cancellations due to the ongoing Covid pandemic, but this time, the event will be graced by more tech companies as compared to 2020 and 2021.
A Reuters report had previously stated that the GSMA would ban all Russian companies, including carriers, from attending the MWC. However, a spokesperson for the GSMA declined to confirm the same. The spokesperson said that the company will cooperate with international sanctions against Russia.
“The GSMA strongly condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The situation is fast-moving, and we understand that various governments are considering broader sanctions against Russia. In light of this emerging situation and considering the tragic loss of life, MWC seems immaterial under the circumstances. MWC is a unifying event with a vision to convene the mobile ecosystem to progress in ways and means that connectivity can ensure people, industry, and society thrive. The GSMA follows all government sanctions and policies resulting from this situation. There will be no Russian Pavilion at MWC22. Security for the event is constantly reviewed and adjusted as information emerges,” the GSMA said in a statement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his troops to carry out a “special military operation” in Ukraine. At the time of writing, the Russian forces had positioned themselves outside the capital city of Ukraine, Kyiv.
Coming back to the MWC, the event was canceled entirely in 2020 due to the raging Covid-19 pandemic, while the 2021 edition of the tech show was delayed, yet the footfall was extremely low with some of the big tech companies pulling out of the in-person event and resorting to virtual event only. There have been no major exhibitors pulling out of the show as of now, the Covid-19 cases around the world have been reduced significantly. This is one of the prime reasons why this year’s MWC may witness a large number of attendees. If we go by the numbers, GSMA says It is expecting more than 1,800 exhibitors and attendees from 183 countries.
