Yemenupdated 1h ago3 min read
Saudi Arabia Postpones Davos In The Desert To 2027 After Houthi Attacks
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Saudi Arabia postpones the Future Investment Initiative to 2027 amid Houthi attacks. Originally planned Oct 26–29, 2026; rescheduled to 2027 with date to be announced.
8 outlets told this the same way.
Outlets did split on Saudi Warplanes Launch 110 Strikes on Sana’a, Yemen Monitor Says, Killing Over 30 →
FII pushed to 2027
Saudi Arabia postponed its flagship Future Investment Initiative, known as “Davos in the Desert,” to 2027 amid attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels targeting the kingdom, including Riyadh’s international airport.
The Future Investment Initiative was originally scheduled for Oct. 26-29 in Riyadh, and the organizers said the tenth edition would be held in 2027 without giving new dates.
Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport reopened Sunday after a week-long closure following attacks that killed 17 people and wounded more than 300, and Flightradar24 data showed 108 flights were canceled Monday, equivalent to 18% of scheduled services.
The postponement came as the conflict in Yemen continued to escalate between Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces and the Houthis, with Reuters citing at least 18 people killed in an attack on Monday on a government security force training camp in Yemen’s Shabwa province.
The Future Investment Initiative Institute said, “We will announce the new 2027 dates very soon,” after organizers decided to cancel the in-person gathering.
Airport, travel, and warnings
US embassies across the region told American citizens to be on high alert, warning, “Be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions,” as hostilities had “the potential to escalate rapidly beyond that immediate area.”
Riyadh’s airport closure followed attacks over the course of a week that killed more than 17 people and wounded hundreds, and the airport closed on Oct. 11 after several Houthi attacks.
The Straits Times reported that the postponement followed the deadliest attack on the kingdom in more than a decade, after an Oct 10 strike killed 13 people and left no clear timeline for when air traffic could resume.
The Future Investment Initiative Institute CEO Maha Al Saud said the gathering would instead take place in 2027, and she added that organisers wanted to ensure the anniversary edition delivered the “full scale” and “extraordinary quality” expected by participants.
Semafor said organizers dropped plans for a gathering of global and regional chief executives and told delegates the event was postponed until 2027.
Impact on investment plans
Saudi Arabia’s postponement dealt a blow to efforts to establish itself as a destination for investment, tourism and business, and the Future Investment Initiative was described as a key platform for showcasing those ambitions to global investors. The Future Investment Initiative was backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, and the event’s cancellation followed attacks that disrupted business and raised security concerns among international executives. The New York Times said missile and drone strikes on the kingdom were jeopardizing economic diversification plans, and it reported that deadly strikes on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh this month had killed at least 13 people and injured hundreds of others.
The Straits Times said the postponement “deals a blow to the kingdom’s ambitions to draw foreign capital, diversify its oil-reliant economy and push its reform agenda,” while AFP sources told it the conference would be postponed. The Jerusalem Post said the FII wanted to ensure the event delivered “the full scale, extraordinary quality, and unforgettable impact that our community has come to expect,” as the kingdom faced escalating Houthi attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure.