Lebanon: At the World Economic Forum 2026 Annual Meeting, Saudi ministers and officials highlighted the Kingdom's rapid transformations across tourism, technology, and industry, where sessions focused on fostering international partnerships and leveraging innovation to drive global economic development. During a session titled "Many Shapes of Trade," Minister of Commerce Majid Al-Kassabi highlighted the Kingdom's readiness to capitalize on shifting global supply chains. He observed that international trade is transitioning toward a managed, rules-driven model, a trend that favors the Kingdom's current economic trajectory.
According to Saudi Press Agency, Al-Kassabi emphasized that Saudi Arabia is uniquely positioned to serve as a "connector economy." By leveraging its vast resources and strategic geography, the Kingdom aims to function as a vital logistics hub and a global bridge, linking markets across continents. Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb highlighted the immense growth potential within the global travel industry. During a session titled "The New Geography of Travel: Elevating Destinations, Expanding Opportunity," he noted that UN Tourism projects international tourist numbers to reach two billion by 2030, representing an increase of 500 million travelers over current levels.
Al-Khateeb described these figures as highly encouraging for Saudi Arabia's tourism ecosystem. He emphasized that this growth creates significant opportunities for hotel operators, investors, and technology providers, further solidifying tourism as a high-potential industry within the Kingdom's economic landscape. Minister of Finance Mohammed Aljadaan emphasized that the primary role of policymakers is to establish a predictable environment for businesses. He noted that the Kingdom is achieving this by strengthening economic resilience and providing the private sector with the stability and confidence necessary for long-term growth.
Participating in the "Converging Technologies to Win" session, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha addressed the critical technical challenges of the intelligence age. He highlighted that Saudi Arabia is actively tackling the "energy wall" and "memory wall" associated with large-scale artificial intelligence. Alswaha issued a call to global tech leaders, asserting that while accelerating AI is vital, the ability to successfully adopt and implement it is more critical. He positioned the Kingdom as the ideal partner for international firms seeking a fertile and capable environment for AI integration and development.
In a session titled "A Collective Voice on the Future of Minerals: Aligning Policy, Investment and Supply," Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef emphasized the Kingdom's commitment to a multilateral approach in international cooperation. He stated that Saudi Arabia is focused on creating strategic platforms that facilitate global dialogue and partnership across the mining sector. Alkhorayef identified the Future Minerals Forum as a premier global platform that now unites governments, financial institutions, academic bodies, and technology providers.
Speaking in a session titled "Redefining Economic Partnerships: From Dialogue to Delivery," Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim advocated for a global model where every nation can successfully unlock its economic potential without closing channels of dialogue. He emphasized that the current global landscape offers a "blank canvas," providing an unprecedented opportunity for nations to collaboratively design a more inclusive future.
On Thursday, the Global Innovation Platform, a strategic partnership between Saudi HoldCo and GoldenPoint Global, launched the Saudi-US Innovation Partnership as 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.
