Saudi Arabia will host a special World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in April, Economy Minister Faisal Alibrahim said on Thursday.
The meeting, scheduled to take place from April 28-29, will focus on global collaboration, growth and energy, Alibrahim said in Davos, Switzerland, where the World Economic Forum's main annual event is currently taking place.
He spoke at “Saudi Arabia: The Course Ahead" panel.
"The (World Economic) Forum has recognized that the kingdom is becoming a stronger, more impactful leader on the global stage... and we found it as an opportune time to bring this global Tier 1 event to the kingdom, and start this new chapter together," Alibrahim later told Reuters in an interview.
"This will contribute to Riyadh becoming a more global platform," he said, adding the Saudi government had been in talks with the WEF for some time to host an event.
Hosting the WEF in Riyadh will not take away from the kingdom's flagship annual event, the Future Investment Initiative (FII), Alibrahim said.
