WEF convenes special meeting on global collaboration, growth and energy for development 1,000 government, business and civil society leaders to gather in Riyadh

With geopolitical upheavals and complex economic challenges destabilizing a fractured world, the World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development will convene 1,000 global leaders from 92 countries on April 28-29, to support global dialogue and find actionable, collaborative and sustainable solutions to shared global challenges.
More than 220 public figures, from over 60 countries will participate in the Special Meeting which is under the patronage of Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
Building on the inaugural Growth Summit, held in Switzerland last year, the meeting will promote forward-thinking approaches to interconnected crises, while remaining realistic about shorter-term trade-offs.
It will work to bridge the growing North-South divide on issues such as emerging economic policies, the energy transition and geopolitical shocks.
"With geopolitical tensions and socio-economic disparities deepening divides globally, international collaboration and purposeful dialogue has never been more urgent," said Børge Brende, president, World Economic Forum.
"The Special Meeting 2024 provides an opportunity for leaders from across sectors and geographies to turn ideas into action and unlock scalable solutions to the many interconnected challenges we face."
"At this global inflection point, revitalizing international collaboration has never been more important. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the World Economic Forum has chosen an established and dynamic global platform for thought leadership, solutions and action, as the host of a critical meeting – at such a critical moment," said Faisal F. Al-Ibrahim, minister of economy and planning of Saudi Arabia.
"To this end, Saudi Arabia is mobilizing its full diplomatic might to lay out a mutually beneficial path to prosperity for the intertwined destinies of the global community.
"We are working to ensure that progress for one part of the world does not come at the expense of another. And we are committed to meeting this moment with a determination to co-author a shared future that is secure, stable and sustainable."
The three thematic pillars of the meeting encompass a comprehensive approach to addressing global challenges.
The first pillar focuses on creating a compact for inclusive growth, examining how recent trends in innovation and economic policy, coupled with underinvestment in human development, may exacerbate global inequality and hinder poverty reduction efforts.
It also explores opportunities that could help counter these risks across advanced, emerging, and developing economies.
The second pillar aims to catalyze action on energy for development. As the world faces a potential 2.9°C temperature rise and significant disparities in energy access, this focus area will seek solutions to scale up clean energy while ensuring equitable growth and energy access, especially in developing economies.
The final pillar is dedicated to revitalizing global collaboration. Amid growing geopolitical tensions, this area will foster dialogue to support international collaboration, amplify humanitarian efforts, and contain the ripple effects of instability.
Participants will also explore how to build a more resilient global economy through strengthened international collaboration between the Global North and South.
Top political leaders taking part include: Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, emir of Kuwait; Mostafa Kamal Madbouly, prime minister of Egypt; Mohammed Shyaa Al Sudani, prime minister of Iraq; and Bisher Hani Al Khasawneh, prime minister of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan;
Anwar Ibrahim, prime minister of Malaysia; Bola Ahmed Tinubu, president of Nigeria; Sayyid Theyazin Bn Haitham Al Said, crown prince of the Sultanate of Oman; Shehbaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan; Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian president; Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of the State of Qatar; and Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda are attending.
As well as Antony Blinken, US secretary of state; Josep Borrell, high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy; Stéphane Séjourné, minister for Europe and foreign affairs of France; Annalena Baerbock, federal minister of foreign affairs of Germany; David Cameron, UK secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development affairs; and Arifin Tasrif, minister of energy and mineral resources of Indonesia will attend.
Ahn Dukgeun, minister of trade, industry and energy of Republic of Korea; Kgosientso Ramokgopa, minister in the presidency for electricity of South Africa; Mehmet Şimşek, minister of treasury and finance of Türkiye; and Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, deputy prime minister for financial and economic affairs of the United Arab Emirates are attending.
Leaders in international organizations taking part include: Kristalina Georgieva, managing director, International Monetary Fund; Sigrid Kaag, United Nations senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza; and Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general, World Health Organization.
The World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report 2024 highlighted the critical turning point the world faces, with economic downturn and inflation, lack of economic opportunity, disrupted supply chains for critical goods and energy, extreme weather, and conflicts among the most pressing issues within the next two years and climate, technology, migration and societal polarization risks dominating over the next decade. Inclusive, purpose-driven dialogue — between business, government and civil society from across regions and across timeframes — will be crucial to improve outcomes on these and other global risks.
Leading the dialogue,15 leaders from government, the private sector and international organizations will co-chair the event. Over half of participants — spanning companies, governmental entities and thought leaders — are from the Global South and emerging economies, with over 80% of heads of state from developing or emerging economies.
The meeting will be accessible to the public through the livestreaming of 50 sessions, covering topics such as, A New Vision for Global Development, Realizing an Equitable Energy Transition, and What Kind of Growth We Need.
In addition, the Open Forum will host panel discussions connecting thought leaders with the local public. The ongoing conflict in the region and the humanitarian situation in Gaza will also be addressed.
The meeting will see advancements on key World Economic Forum work, such as the Future of Growth Initiative, the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and UpLink challenges aimed at identifying and scaling innovative climate solutions.
New insights will be released on education and AI, cybersecurity talent and geopolitical dependence, from hydrocarbons to critical minerals. — SG