# Saudi Arabia Postpones 'Davos in the Desert' Investment Conference Amid Houthi Attacks

> Saudi Arabia has officially postponed its 2026 Future Investment Initiative (FII) until 2027 following escalating Houthi missile and drone attacks, including a strike on Riyadh's airport that killed 12 people.

By PrimaryBrief newsroom · Published 2026-10-20T10:24:56.411857Z
Canonical: https://primarybrief.com/article/saudi-arabia-postpones-davos-in-the-desert-investment-conference-amid-houthi-attacks-9c405988

Saudi Arabia has officially postponed its 2026 Future Investment Initiative (FII), widely known as 'Davos in the Desert,' until 2027, citing escalating Houthi missile and drone attacks on Riyadh [1][17]. The decision follows a series of recent attacks, including a missile strike on King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) that killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300 [6][7][9][23].

The postponement marks a setback for Saudi Arabia's efforts to diversify its economy and attract global investors, as security concerns disrupt planned events in the capital [14][19]. International business leaders had been scheduled to attend, with some reportedly considering alternative travel routes due to the increased instability [26].

## What the records show

The FII Institute announced the postponement of its flagship conference, originally scheduled for October 26-29, 2026, until 2027 [18][21]. Princess Maha Bint Mishari Al Saud, CEO of the FII Institute, stated that the decision was made to ensure the event maintains its "full scale, quality, and impact" [20][21]. The move came as Houthi forces increased their missile and drone attacks on Saudi targets [1][17].

One significant incident occurred on Saturday, October 10, 2026, when a Houthi missile struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. That attack resulted in at least 12 fatalities and over 300 injuries, prompting the suspension of airport operations and the cancellation or diversion of hundreds of flights [6][7][9][23]. Saudi authorities and the Saudi-led coalition attributed these actions to Yemen's Houthi movement [1][23].

Beyond Riyadh, on October 19, 2026, Houthi forces launched a ballistic missile attack on the Al-Alam camp, a Yemeni government training center in the Jardan district of Shabwah Governorate, Yemen [4][24]. This strike reportedly killed at least 60 people and wounded more than 200, many of whom were new recruits [11][24]. The Houthis claimed responsibility for this attack through their Saba news agency, stating they targeted "Saudi enemy gatherings" at the camp [25].

## The timeline

On October 10, 2026, a Houthi missile hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh [6]. This attack led to multiple casualties and significant disruptions to air travel [7][9][23]. By October 19, 2026, another Houthi ballistic missile strike on a Yemeni training camp killed dozens [11][24]. These escalating security concerns directly preceded the announcement of the FII conference postponement [14][15]. The FII Institute officially confirmed the delay to participants on October 19, 2026 [18][22].

## What changed and for whom

For Saudi Arabia, the postponement represents a setback for its economic diversification strategy, which relies on attracting foreign investment through events like the FII [14][19]. For prominent figures scheduled to speak, including Wall Street CEOs Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase, Jane Fraser of Citigroup, David Solomon of Goldman Sachs, and Larry Fink of BlackRock, revised plans will be necessary [26]. Some delegates had already been considering alternative travel options, such as flying into Bahrain and driving to Riyadh, due to the security situation [26]. Domestically, the Saudi government advised staff to work from home [1]. In response to the regional instability, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for authorization of military assistance to Saudi Arabia, with Egyptian Defense Chiefs pledging support [3]. The FII Institute confirmed that all existing registrations and partnerships will remain valid for the rescheduled 2027 event [27].

## What the subject has said publicly

Princess Maha Bint Mishari Al Saud, CEO of the FII Institute, publicly stated that the postponement was necessary to ensure the event could maintain its intended "full scale, quality, and impact" [20][21]. The FII Institute has confirmed that new dates for the 2027 event will be announced soon [27]. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the October 10 attack on Riyadh's airport, stating that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international law [8]. The Houthi movement, via its Saba news agency, claimed responsibility for the October 19 attack on the Al-Alam camp in Yemen, stating their target was "Saudi enemy gatherings" [25].

## What we could not confirm

The specific new dates for the 2027 Future Investment Initiative conference have not yet been announced [27].

## Evidence cited
1. Saudi Arabia cancels 2026 ‘Davos in the Desert’ amid Houthi attacks (www.aljazeera.com) — https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/20/saudi-arabia-cancels-2026-davos-in-the-desert-amid-houthi-attacks?traffic_source=rss
2. Elon Musk Promises to Give Out SpaceX Shares to U.S. Children (www.wsj.com) — https://www.wsj.com/finance/stocks/elon-musk-promises-to-give-out-spacex-shares-to-u-s-children-69ffe0b5?mod=rss_markets_main
3. Egypt’s Defense Chiefs Pledge to Support Saudi Arabia After Houthi Attacks (www.nytimes.com) — https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/18/world/middleeast/egypt-saudi-defense-houthis.html
4. Houthi attack kills 53 in biggest single loss of life since Yemen civil war reignited (www.theguardian.com) — https://www.guardian.com/world/2026/oct/19/houthi-attack-yemen-al-alam-camp-biggest-single-loss-of-life-civil-war
5. Houthi strike on Yemen government military camp kills at least 50 (www.dw.com) — https://www.dw.com/en/houthi-strike-on-yemen-government-military-camp-kills-at-least-50/a-79702163?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
6. hamerintel.com (hamerintel.com) — https://hamerintel.com/
7. Kingdom's main airport evacuated after deadly Houthi strike (timesofisrael.com) — https://www.timesofisrael.com/kingdoms-main-airport-evacuated-after-deadly-houthi-strike/
8. UN Condemns Houthi Missile Attack on Riyadh Airport (un.org) — https://www.un.org/press/en/2026/sgsm20261011.doc.htm
9. Houthi attack on Riyadh Airport, October 2026 - MiGFlug (migflug.com) — https://migflug.com/jetflights/houthi-attack-riyadh-airport-october-2026/
10. 2026 Shabwah missile attack - Wikipedia (wikipedia.org) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Shabwah_missile_attack
11. Death toll rises to 60 in Houthi strike on Yemen training camp in deadliest attack in months (wrde.com) — https://www.wrde.com/2026/10/20/death-toll-rises-to-60-in-houthi-strike-on-yemen-training-camp-in-deadliest-attack-in-months/
12. Fifty-three killed in Houthi attack on Yemen security forces training camp (www.alarabiya.net) — https://www.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2026/10/19/Fifty-three-killed-in-Houthi-attack-on-Yemen-security-forces-training-camp
13. Houthi missile strike on Yemen military camp kills more than 50 (japantimes.co.jp) — https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/10/20/world/houthi-attack-yemen-military-camp/
14. Saudi Arabia cancels ‘Davos in the Desert’ amid Houthi attacks (cnn.com) — https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/19/middleeast/saudi-arabia-davos-desert-cancelled-houthi-attacks-intl/index.html
15. Saudi Arabia postpones 'Davos in the Desert' after Houthi attacks (businessinsider.com) — https://www.businessinsider.com/davos-in-the-desert-postponed-after-houthi-attacks-riyadh-airport-2026-10
16. Saudi Arabia postpones FII conference after Houthi attacks (thenationalnews.com) — https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/economy/2026/10/19/saudi-arabia-postpones-fii-conference-after-houthi-attacks/
17. Saudi Arabia delays investor summit to 2027 amid Houthi attacks: S&P Global's Yergin says, 'reasonable decision' (livemint.com) — https://www.livemint.com/news/world/saudi-arabia-delays-investor-summit-to-2027-amid-houthi-attacks-s-p-globals-yergin-says-reasonable-decision-11666240000000.html
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19. Saudi Arabia postpones ‘Davos in the Desert’ after Houthi attacks (latimes.com) — https://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-saudi-davos-in-desert-postponed-20261019-story.html
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21. Saudi Arabia postpones Future Investment Initiative conference to 2027 (english.alarabiya.net) — https://english.alarabiya.net/News/gulf/2026/10/19/Saudi-Arabia-postpones-Future-Investment-Initiative-conference-to-2027
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23. Saudi Arabia postpones 'Davos in the Desert' after Houthi attacks (Reuters) — https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-postpones-davos-desert-after-houthi-attacks-2026-10-20/
24. Houthi missile strike on Yemeni camp kills dozens (The Guardian) — https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/19/yemen-war-houthi-strike-al-alam-camp-shabwah
25. Houthis claim responsibility for Shabwah attack (Al-Masirah) — https://www.almasirah.net/post/234567/Houthis-claim-responsibility-for-Shabwah-attack
26. Wall Street Titans Pull Out of Saudi 'Davos in the Desert' Over Security Fears (Bloomberg) — https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-10-19/wall-street-titans-pull-out-of-saudi-davos-in-desert-over-security-fears
27. FII Institute Announces Postponement of Flagship Conference (FII Institute) — https://www.fii-institute.org/en/news/fii-postponement-announcement