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 22-23 April 2026.
Led by His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs, 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, held from 19-23 January, 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 His Highness the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the delegation included Her Royal Highness Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States of America, His Excellency Majid A. Alkassabi, Minister of Commerce, His Excellency Ahmed A. Alkhateeb, Minister of Tourism, His Excellency Khalid A. Alfalih, Minister of Investment, His Excellency Mohammed A. Aljadaan, Minister of Finance, His Excellency Abdullah A. Alswaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, His Excellency Bandar I. Alkhorayef, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, and His Excellency Faisal F. Alibrahim, Minister of Economy and Planning.
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.
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 Kingdom. Saudi House welcomed ministers, international business leaders, and global thought leaders to attend and participate 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. Each one was hosted under the umbrella of a government entity or initiative or program: Ministry of Economy and Planning, Invest Saudi, Saudi Tourism Authority, Saudi Vision 2030, Quality of Life Program, Human Capability Development Program, and Data Saudi.
Saudi House featured a number of 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 Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 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, SWAT, Intelmatix, Saudi Digital Medicine, 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.
Announcements and agreements
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 (MIM) in collaboration with WEF, announced the Lighthouse Operating System, a country-level framework designed to accelerate manufacturing transformation. Developed in partnership with WEF’s 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, called the 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 for the protection and recovery of 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. Anchored by the cities of 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.
