Riyadh Region Governor Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz has opened the 12th Riyadh Economic Forum on behalf of, and under the patronage of, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The forum runs from October 12 to 14, 2026 (1–3 Jumada al-Ula 1448 AH) at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center.

Speaking to reporters as the forum's honorary president, the governor said he hoped this edition's studies and debates would produce practical ideas to keep pace with the rapid economic and development changes under way in the Kingdom, and praised the Riyadh Chamber's role in organising it.

Dr. Abdulaziz bin Fahad Al-Anqari, chairman of the forum's board of trustees, outlined the five study topics: traffic congestion; measuring the impact of legislation and public policy; knowledge transfer and localisation; smart agriculture and its role in water and food security; and maximising the economic and development gains from hosting Expo 2030 and the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

Riyadh Chamber chairman Eng. Abdullah bin Abdulrahman Al-Obeikan said Riyadh stands at the heart of the Kingdom's transformation under Saudi Vision 2030, stressing that competitiveness now depends on the quality of decisions and the ability to produce knowledge, not only on abundant resources. He announced plans to develop and restructure the forum to tie its outputs more closely to national priorities.

Launched in 2003, the forum serves as a platform for informing decision-makers and strengthening public-private partnership. Princes, ministers, officials and accredited ambassadors attended the opening.