Saudi Arabia Postpones Flagship Investment Conference to 2027 Amid Houthi Attacks

A major Saudi investment conference has been postponed until next year, its chief executive said Monday, as the kingdom faces repeated attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, CBS News reported.

Saudi Arabia postpones its Future Investment Initiative conference until 2027 amid security concerns linked to Houthi attacks. [Photo: FII Institue Facebook]

Princess Dr. Maha bint Mishari Al Saud, chief executive of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute, said the annual event, scheduled to take place in Riyadh from Oct. 26 to 29, would instead be held in 2027.

In a statement posted on X, she said organizers wanted to ensure the conference’s 10th-anniversary edition delivered the “full scale” and “extraordinary quality” participants expected.

“This decision comes from a deep commitment to our partners, members, speakers and delegates,” her statement said.

“A decade of partnership and shared vision deserves nothing less than our absolute best.”

New conference dates will be announced soon, while existing registrations and partnerships will remain valid, according to the statement. For nearly a decade, the conference has served as a showcase for Saudi Arabia’s efforts to attract international investors, business leaders and heads of state.

The postponement presents a setback for the kingdom’s efforts to attract foreign investment, diversify its oil-dependent economy and advance its economic reform agenda.

Three sources familiar with the matter had earlier told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the conference would be postponed, AFP also reported.