Berlin, March 10 (IANS): Organisers of the 6th Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD), scheduled to take place here this month on the invitation of the German government, on Tuesday announced to cancel the event owing to the growing coronavirus epidemic.

Over 75 ministerial delegations and a record number of participants from Germany and around the world had been planning to attend this year's conference, a statement by the summit organisers said.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was supposed to be the keynote speaker at the event. Four federal ministers too had confirmed their attendance.

The Chief Executive of Germany Energy Agency, Andreas Kuhlmann, said: "It's a shame and quite sad, but in light of the current events, it is also more than justified. It is especially unfortunate for the nearly 200 startups and innovators from all over the world who were looking forward to the chance to engage in an exchange on this prominent international stage.

"We will now start focusing on BETD 2021 in order to continue this inspiring and urgently needed process of dialogue."

Since 2015, BETD has developed into a leading international forum for key stakeholders in the energy sector.