Saudi Arabia cancels 2026 'Davos in the Desert' investment conference amid Houthi attacks

Saudi Arabia's government said on 20 October 2026 that this year's flagship investment conference, widely nicknamed 'Davos in the Desert', will not go ahead and has been postponed until 2027. The event was meant to be one of the kingdom's major gatherings for investors.

The decision comes amid attacks by the Houthis, an armed group from Yemen. The headline of the source report links the cancellation directly to these attacks.

In addition to postponing the conference, Riyadh has ordered government employees to work from home. The source gives few details about the nature, targets or consequences of the attacks, so those circumstances remain unclear for now.