Under the gracious patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud—may God protect him—and on his behalf, His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Emir of Riyadh region, this evening opened the proceedings of the 11th edition of the Riyadh Economic Forum. The opening was held at the forum's headquarters, with the attendance of senior government officials, academics and economic experts, alongside business leaders from various sectors.

Prince Faisal bin Bandar was received on arrival by Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, Mayor of Riyadh; Dr. Khalid bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi, chairman of the forum's board of trustees; Eng. Abdullah bin Abdulrahman Al-Obaikan, chairman of the Riyadh Chamber; and a number of board members from the chamber and the forum's board of trustees.

Opening Remarks Affirm Development Goals

In his opening remarks, Prince Faisal bin Bandar expressed his pride in conveying the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince, along with their wishes for the forum's success in achieving its goals in line with Saudi Vision 2030. He affirmed that the forum represents a strategic platform for discussing national economic issues in a scientific manner, strengthening the role of the private sector and partnerships with the government sector.

For his part, Dr. Khalid Al-Rajhi delivered remarks praising the strong support the forum receives from the wise leadership, noting that this year's edition brings together an elite group of experts to discuss four pivotal studies covering human resource development, artificial intelligence, investment stimulation, and natural resource utilization.

Forum Studies Take Center Stage

The forum's agenda includes four main studies:

  1. "Developing Quality-of-Work-Life Practices to Boost Productivity," chaired by Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Eng. Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi.
  2. "Stimulating Investment and Its Governance Through Regional Policies," chaired by Minister of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing Majid Al-Hogail.
  3. "Enhancing the Role of Artificial Intelligence in the National Economy," led by Dr. Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, president of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.
  4. "Maximizing the Economic Return from Natural Resources to Achieve Sustainable Development," chaired by Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef.

Recognition and Accompanying Events

The opening ceremony concluded with the honoring of winners of the forum's competition for Saudi university students, alongside recognition of the forum's official sponsors. The forum also saw the opening of an accompanying exhibition showcasing modern economic innovations and initiatives.