Riyadh governor opens 12th Riyadh Economic Forum on behalf of king

Under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and on his behalf, Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh Region, today inaugurated the 12th Riyadh Economic Forum at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center.

The forum runs from 1 to 3 Jumada Al-Awwal 1448 AH, corresponding to October 12 to 14, 2026, and is attended by princes, ministers, officials, ambassadors, and members of the diplomatic corps.

Forum themes and objectives

In his speech, Dr. Abdulaziz bin Fahd Al-Anqari, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Riyadh Economic Forum, outlined the topics addressed in this session's studies, including traffic congestion, measuring the impact of legislation and public policies, knowledge transfer and localization, smart agriculture and its role in enhancing water and food security, as well as maximizing the economic and developmental impact of hosting Expo 2030 and the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

Dr. Al-Anqari added that the forum focuses on selecting forward-looking topics and providing practical recommendations to support economic policy and decision-making.

Leadership support and forum development

For his part, Abdullah Al-Obaikan, Chairman of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce, stated that Riyadh is witnessing major economic and developmental transformations under Saudi Vision 2030, noting that competitiveness depends on the quality of decision-making and the ability to produce knowledge. He also revealed plans by the Riyadh Chamber to further develop the forum and align its outcomes more closely with national priorities.

Prince Faisal bin Bandar expressed his pleasure and honor in opening the forum on behalf of the King, hoping that this session will enhance the forum's developmental impact, and commended the Riyadh Chamber and all organizers of the event.

The forum's role in supporting decision-making

The Riyadh Economic Forum is regarded as a strategic center supporting decision-making in the Kingdom, having provided studies and recommendations since its launch in 2003 to strengthen public-private partnerships and advance national development goals.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Governor of Riyadh received a commemorative gift in recognition of his role and the leadership's support for the forum.