Gulf states send major delegations to Davos
Artificial intelligence high on the agenda for Gulf delegations
#Qatar #SaudiArabia #UAE #Davos - Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are sending high-level ministerial delegations to the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, which begins today. The forum takes place from 19-23 January, with artificial intelligence, digital transformation and technological innovation featuring prominently on the agenda. The UAE delegation led by H.H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum includes more than 100 ministers, senior government officials and private sector leaders, making it the fifth largest delegation at the forum. Saudi Arabia’s delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah includes eight cabinet ministers, whilst Qatar returns with its second consecutive country pavilion hosted by Invest Qatar.
SO WHAT? - Taking place under the theme ‘A Spirit of Dialogue’, the 56th WEF Annual Meeting arrives at a time of rising fragmentation, accelerating complexity and rapid technological change, with new opportunities around artificial intelligence, biotechnology and clean energy alongside intense challenges amid geopolitical uncertainty. The strong Gulf presence reflects the region’s increasing role as a global partner actively shaping international cooperation frameworks. The growing AI and emerging technology ecosystems from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE will also be in attendance, while AI appears frequently in the presentaiton programmes of their national pavilions in Davos.
Here are some key details about the Gulf at Davos:
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are sending high-level ministerial delegations to the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, from 19-23 January, with artificial intelligence and digital transformation featuring prominently on regional agendas.
The UAE delegation led by H.H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum includes more than 100 ministers, senior government officials and private sector leaders, making it the fifth largest delegation at the forum expecting approximately 3,000 leaders from close to 130 countries.
Saudi Arabia’s delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah includes eight cabinet ministers covering commerce, tourism, investment, finance, communications and information technology, industry and mineral resources, and economy and planning portfolios.
Saudi House returns to Davos this week after its debut as a standalone pavilion at the 2025 WEF Annual Meeting, hosting over 20 sessions including 10-plus WEF-accredited sessions across six themes: Bold Vision, Insights for Impact, People & Human Capability, Quality of Life, Investment & Collaboration, and Welcoming the World. Attendees include Aramco, Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), Fathom IO and Intelmatix.
The UAE’s participation focuses on advancing sustainable economic growth, accelerating technological innovation and reinforcing international cooperation to address key global priorities, with emphasis on artificial intelligence, digital government, smart regulation and leveraging advanced technologies for competitive economies. The UAE Pavilion themed ‘Impossible is Possible’ for the fourth consecutive year.
The UAE will also feature prominently in the AI House Davos, which brings together global leaders, policymakers, researchers, and innovators for open, action-oriented dialogue. Abu Dhabi’s AI powerhouse G42 is a co-founder and strategic partner of AI House Davos
The Invest Qatar Pavilion will participate for the second consecutive year featuring key governmental entities including ministries of Commerce and Industry, Finance, and Communications and Information Technology, alongside the Qatar Investment Authority, Qatar Financial Centre, Qatar Free Zones Authority and major national banks.
The Gulf is also well represented at the main World Economic Forum Annual Meeting agenda. Speakers in the innovation track “How can we deploy innovation at scale and responsibly?” include:
Amin Nasser, president and CEO of Saudi Aramco;
Mansoor Ibrahim Al Mansoori, chairman of The Department of Health - Abu Dhabi
Eric Xing, president of Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI)
H.E. Maryam bint Ahmed Al Hammadi, UAE Minister of State and Secretary General of The UAE Cabinet
H.E. Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade
Hatem Dowidar, Group Chief Executive Officer at e&
Jasim Husain Thabet, Group CEO and Managing Director Abu Dhabi National Energy Company’s (TAQA)
Ahmed Galal Ismail, CEO and board member at Majid Al Futtaim
[Written and edited with the assistance of AI]