Major Saudi conferences to proceed, organisers say, despite deadly airport attack

Two major Saudi conferences – the World Petroleum Congress and the International Energy Forum Ministerial Meeting – will take place this month despite a deadly airport attack that killed four people and damaged an airliner, according to event organizers. The attacks prompted widespread flight disruptions and prompted the UK, France, and Germany to warn their citizens to avoid Riyadh.

Organizers of the World Petroleum Congress, set to host global oil executives and policymakers from Sunday to Thursday, stated that the event would proceed as planned, reassuring delegates that their safety was their top priority. Alternative routes to Riyadh were also made available, including a four-hour drive from Dammam on the kingdom’s eastern coast.

Italian Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin opted to attend the International Energy Forum Ministerial Meeting via video link instead of flying to Riyadh. However, the Future Investment Initiative, a flagship investment conference launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, would also go ahead from October 26-29. The event's CEO, Maha Al Saud, emphasized that comprehensive security measures would be in place at Riyadh’s airports, conference venues, and official hotels.

The Houthis have warned airliners to avoid Saudi airspace, declaring it a zone of military operations after the Saudi-backed Yemeni government initiated an offensive against the group earlier this month. In response, Saudi Arabia has launched a series of strikes on missile launcher sites, vowing to protect the kingdom and claiming to have intercepted many ballistic missiles fired by the group.