About the Forum
The Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum was held on May 13 at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh. It took place during the state visit of Donald J. Trump, the 45th and 47th President of the United States, to Saudi Arabia. The event brought together major Saudi and American investors to celebrate a long-standing partnership that had lasted nearly 100 years.
The relationship between Saudi Arabia and the U.S. had played a key role in both countries’ success for more than 80 years, starting from the historic 1945 meeting between King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud and President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the USS Quincy.
American Investments in Saudi Arabia
Over the years, American investors had become very active in the Saudi economy. The U.S. held around $54 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Kingdom, making up almost 25% of all FDI in Saudi Arabia. The United States was the largest source of foreign investment in the country.
In return, Saudi Arabia invested in the U.S., especially in areas like oil refining, petrochemicals, and tech startups in Silicon Valley. The Kingdom also played a major role in maintaining a stable global energy market, which had been important for U.S. economic growth.
Forum Highlights
The Forum began with a speech from Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih, who welcomed all participants and delivered greetings from the Saudi leadership. He emphasized the importance of the high level American and Saudi delegations present at the event, which reflected the strong partnership between the two nations.
Al-Falih presented the 2024 annual report on Saudi Vision 2030, showing the progress Saudi Arabia had made in growing and diversifying its economy. He highlighted new investment opportunities in sectors like:
- Renewable and conventional energy
- Artificial intelligence and advanced technology
- Tourism and healthcare
- Biotechnology and logistics
- Supply chains
Forum in Numbers
- 125+ Speakers
- 2,000+ Delegates
- 15+ Sessions
- 12 Exhibitors
- Several high-level roundtable discussions
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