The World’s Eyes Turn to Riyadh for Launch of LEAP 24

The second edition of LEAP (SPA)
The second edition of LEAP (SPA)
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The World’s Eyes Turn to Riyadh for Launch of LEAP 24

The second edition of LEAP (SPA)
The second edition of LEAP (SPA)

LEAP24, the world’s largest technological exhibition, kicked off on Monday in Riyadh, with the participation of more than 1,800 international and local exhibitors, and more than 1,000 technical experts and 600 startup companies.

Organized by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones, the exhibition, which runs from March 4 to 7, highlights the latest technology industries and unveils government AI initiatives and the newest innovations.

In its current edition, the conference has expanded the number of participants from major technical exhibitors in the world, in addition to the presence of an elite group of expert speakers and international companies.

The current version will see the participation of world tech giants, including Google, Microsoft, Oracle, Dell, Cisco, SAP, Amazon Web Services, Alibaba, Huawei, Ericsson, and others.

More than 30 government agencies are competing to showcase their advanced digital services, through the “Digital Saudi Arabia” exhibition, organized by the Digital Government Authority within the activities of LEAP 24, with the participation of many government and private agencies.

The event aims to enhance the Kingdom’s international position as an innovative digital environment, highlight success stories in the digital transformation journey, and its importance at the regional and international levels, in addition to unveiling the most prominent digital government services aimed at raising the quality of life and enhancing competitiveness.

The exhibition will see government agencies and national companies showcasing their digital products and services based on innovative models using emerging technologies, in addition to the signing of strategic agreements and the launching of new services, dialogue sessions for a number of ministers and officials, and workshops in the field of digital transformation.

The LEAP conference witnessed rapid developments over its years, as the total number of launches increased from $6.4 billion in the first edition to more than $9 billion in the second edition, while the number of attendees increased from 100,000 visitors in the first edition to more than 172,000 in the second year.



Saudi FM Leads High-Ranking Delegation to WEF Annual Meeting in Davos

The Saudi flag. Asharq A-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq A-Awsat
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Saudi FM Leads High-Ranking Delegation to WEF Annual Meeting in Davos

The Saudi flag. Asharq A-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq A-Awsat

A high-level Saudi delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah will participate in the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos on January 20-24.

The Kingdom’s delegation includes Minister of Commerce Majid Al-Kassabi; Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al Khateeb; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Cabinet Member, and Climate Envoy Adel Al-Jubeir; Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih; Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan; Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha; Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef, and Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim.

Taking place under the theme of “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age”, the 55th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting arrives at a time of growing geopolitical, economic and humanitarian challenges — from ongoing conflicts to a tepid global growth trajectory, and from the seismic impact of advanced technologies on labor markets and human capital to the increasingly urgent need for a practical and inclusive energy transition.

During its participation, the Saudi delegation will collaborate with leaders from government, the private sector, civil society and academia to address these pressing global challenges and shape a prosperous future. The delegation will also explore opportunities to drive disruptive innovation, unlock human potential, steer sustainable transitions and foster global dialogue.

The delegation will also share experiences and insights from its transformation journey and wide-ranging reform agenda under Saudi Vision 2030, which is building a more resilient, productive and integrated economy.

The Ministry of Economy and Planning (MEP) leads the Kingdom’s long-standing partnership with the WEF and has delivered impactful initiatives that have addressed pressing global challenges.
The 55th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum brings together representatives from more than 100 governments, major international organizations, and more than 1,000 major private sector players, in addition to young changemakers and representatives of civil society and academic institutions.