Saudi Arabia postpones 'Davos in the Desert' conference as Houthi attacks continue

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has postponed its Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference until next year as Houthi strikes from Yemen on the kingdom continue, according to Al Jazeera, citing a statement on the event's official website.

The event, informally called "Davos in the Desert", was due to run from October 26 to October 29. According to Al Jazeera, the statement was released on Tuesday. It said a new date would be announced "very soon".

FII Institute chief executive officer Dr Maha Bint Mishari Al Saud said the decision "comes from a deep commitment to our partners, members, speakers and delegates", Al Jazeera reported. "Because this is our landmark tenth edition, we want to ensure it delivers the full scale, extraordinary quality, and unforgettable impact that our community has come to expect and truly deserves," she said, according to the same report.

The report did not say that the attacks were the stated reason for the delay. It linked the two developments in its headline and text.

Remote work in Riyadh

Al Jazeera, citing the AFP news agency, reported that government agencies in Riyadh have told employees to work from home. AFP spoke to one worker and two consultants, according to the report. The city is described as coming under repeated attack from the Houthis.

An employee of a government agency received a message on Sunday saying that remote work had been decided "from Monday to Thursday this week", according to the report. The message also asked everyone "to continue their activities as normal".

The Kingdom Centre, a 99-storey tower in downtown Riyadh, has asked workers to stay away until further notice, according to Al Jazeera. The tower houses the regional office of the International Monetary Fund. Companies in the King Abdullah Financial District, which hosts offices of major United States firms, have also asked staff to work from home, the report said, citing other sources.

What is happening in Yemen

According to Al Jazeera, fighting has escalated in recent weeks between a Saudi-led coalition and the Iran-aligned Houthis. The coalition supports Yemen's internationally recognised government. The Houthis are also known as Ansar Allah.

The report said the Houthis have hit military, energy and civilian infrastructure across Saudi Arabia, including Riyadh's international airport. It said the attacks have killed at least 18 people and injured hundreds more. Al Jazeera did not give a date for that toll or name a specific source for it.

Background

Al Jazeera described the FII as a state-backed conference that showcases the kingdom's investment plans. It said the aim is to attract the billions of dollars needed to fund Saudi Arabia's shift away from hydrocarbons towards tourism, sport and technology. The name refers to the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Switzerland.

According to the FII website, as cited by Al Jazeera, expected speakers included Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer of Alphabet and Google; David Solomon, chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs Group; and Laurence Fink, chairman and CEO of BlackRock.

This is the tenth edition of the conference, according to the FII Institute statement quoted by Al Jazeera. The report is the only source for the details above. Al Jazeera attributed its reporting to AFP and Reuters.