Saudi Arabia will become a guest country at SPIEF 2026

Saudi Arabia will be a guest country of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in 2026.

During talks with Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud in Moscow today, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed the importance of Saudi Arabia's participation in the SPIEF: "It is symbolic that in 2026, when Saudi Arabia will be a SPIEF guest country, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. I am sure that special events will be held to coincide with this event, reflecting the historical significance of our ties."

Sergey Lavrov also noted that Saudi Arabia's participation in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in 2025 was very successful. The delegation was led by Saudi Arabia's Minister of Energy, Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman Al Saud, Co-chairman of the intergovernmental commission. Together with the Russian co-chairman, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, they held meaningful talks on the sidelines of the Forum.

The national stand of Saudi Arabia at SPIEF 2026 will become a platform for the presentation of the country's investment, export and tourism potential, as well as for establishing new business contacts and exchanging experiences. Specialized sessions, business negotiations and a rich cultural program are planned in the pavilion.

Anton Kobyakov, Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation and Executive Secretary of the SPIEF Organizing Committee, noted: "Russia and Saudi Arabia are developing a stable dialogue and strategic cooperation in key areas such as energy, industry, transport, finance, high technology and agriculture. Saudi Arabia's participation in the status of a SPIEF 2026 guest country opens up new opportunities for expanding business ties and strengthening humanitarian cooperation. The forum traditionally brings together leaders of states, business and the expert community, and I am confident that Saudi Arabia's participation will give a new impetus to the development of bilateral initiatives."

Saudi Arabia will join the ranks of the countries of the Global South that previously served as guest countries of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Among them are Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Bahrain. This confirms the steady interest of the countries of the region in strengthening economic ties with Russia and actively participating in the work of the Forum.