Saudi Arabia Concludes Participation at World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026

 A high-level delegation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has concluded its participation in the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, culminating in an announcement that the Kingdom will host the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Collaboration and Growth Meeting: "Building Common Ground and Reviving Growth" in Jeddah on April 22-23 2026.
 Led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, the delegation engaged in impactful dialogue and oversaw the launch of major initiatives designed to address global challenges and capture opportunities.
 Throughout the annual meeting, the Saudi delegation reinforced the Kingdom's call for meaningful dialogue, pragmatic cooperation, and collective action as the foundation for transformative growth, stability, and long-term prosperity. Delegates participated in public and private panel sessions, numerous bilateral meetings, and conducted interviews with local, regional, and global media in Davos.
 Alongside the minister, the delegation included Saudi Ambassador to the United States Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Commerce Majid Al-Kassabi, Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Finance Mohammed Aljadaan, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef, and Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim.
 Some of the sessions the delegates participated in included: The Global Economic Outlook, A Check-In on the Saudi Economy, Quality of Life 2030 and Beyond: Innovation Shaped Cities, Economies of the Future: Fast-Forward to 2050, From Reform to Delivery: Executing Change at Scale, and The Human Code: Designing Capability Systems.
 The Saudi House, organized by the Ministry of Economy and Planning, returned with its largest program to date. It debuted a series of influential and educational talks called NextOn, featuring thought leaders from across the world. The Saudi House welcomed ministers, international business leaders, and global thought leaders who participated in more than 20 sessions. The program was anchored in six themes aligned with Saudi Vision 2030: Bold Vision; Insights for Impact; People and Human Capability; Quality of Life; Investment and Collaboration; and Welcoming the World. The sessions were held under the umbrella of several government entities, initiatives, and national programs, including the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Invest Saudi, the Saudi Tourism Authority, Saudi Vision 2030, the Quality of Life Program, the Human Capability Development Program, and Data Saudi.
 The Saudi House featured several participating entities from across the public and private sectors, including: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Cultural Development Fund, the Saudi Embassy to the United States of America, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP16 Presidency, Misk Foundation, Diriyah Company, NEOM, Aramco, ACWA Power, the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Intelmatix, Lean Technologies, Fathom.io, and Amplifai Health.
 Across the week, Saudi House recorded more than 10,000 visits, double the number achieved at the previous edition, introducing audiences to the Kingdom's unprecedented social, economic, and human transformation, alongside the high-impact investment opportunities emerging under Saudi Vision 2030.
 The participation of the Kingdom's delegation in the annual meeting also saw the announcement of a number of distinguished initiatives and agreements. Among these, HUMAIN and the National Infrastructure Fund (Infra) announced a strategic financing framework agreement of up to $1.2 billion to support the expansion of AI and digital infrastructure projects in the Kingdom. The agreement outlines non-binding financing terms for HUMAIN's development of up to 250 MW of hyperscale AI data center capacity.
 The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP16 Presidency also launched the Business4Land (B4L) Champions' Council. This high-level coalition brings together CEOs, sustainability leaders, investors, and policymakers to accelerate land restoration, combat land degradation, and strengthen drought resilience.
 The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, in collaboration with WEF, announced the Lighthouse Operating System, a country-level framework designed to accelerate manufacturing transformation. Developed in partnership with the Advanced Manufacturing and Production Centre (AMPC), this initiative aims to diversify the Kingdom's economy, build robust non-oil industries, and position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for advanced manufacturing and logistics.
 The Quality of Life Program Center and UN-Habitat jointly announced the outcomes of the Quality of Life Initiative, a global platform that supports a people-centered approach to urban development.
 SDM announced a partnership with Weill Cornell Medicine – Cornell University, titled "Frontier Science for Human Health: A Saudi–U.S. Space Research Collaboration." The agreement focuses on advancing innovative space and computational biology technologies, with a focus on space research and human health missions.
 The Kingdom will host the first Global Coral Reef Summit in 2026, bringing together global leaders, scientists, and investors to drive solutions to protect and restore coral reef ecosystems. The summit will address key challenges and policy and regulatory gaps, develop science-based solutions, and advance sustainable financing and investment mechanisms to scale coral reef protection and recovery.
 The Global Innovation Platform, a strategic partnership between Saudi HoldCo and GoldenPoint Global, launched the Saudi–U.S. Innovation Partnership. It is a nationally anchored platform designed to accelerate bilateral collaboration in life sciences, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing, to consolidate the Kingdom's position as a global hub for technological leadership, commercial deployment, and innovation. Anchored by Riyadh and Austin, the partnership aligns two of the world's most dynamic innovation ecosystems. Additionally, Amplifai Health was announced as a winner of the second cohort of WEF's MINDS - AI Global Alliance initiative.