More than 70 ministers, over 300 company chairs and senior executives, and leaders of more than 25 international energy organisations are in the Saudi capital this week for Riyadh Energy Week, a series of conferences and ministerial meetings on supply security, market stability and cooperation between producers and consumers.

At its centre is the 25th WPC Energy Congress, running from October 11 to 15 under the theme "Pathways to an Energy Future for All". It is the first time the Kingdom has hosted the congress in a history of more than 90 years that began in London in 1933. Its agenda covers energy security, investment, new technologies and the oil, gas, refining and petrochemical industries, with an international exhibition that gives space to young people, women and entrepreneurs.

Riyadh also hosted the 17th International Energy Forum (IEF) Ministerial Meeting, organised by the Ministry of Energy and co-hosted by Italy and Nigeria under the theme "Energy Security and Shared Goals in a New Era". Discussions focused on resilient supply chains, market volatility and access to reliable, affordable energy. The seventh meeting of heads of organisations in the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) reviewed the initiative's 2026-2030 roadmap to improve oil and gas data transparency.

Eleven memoranda of understanding and cooperation agreements were signed during the week. Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Energy and Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, signed three MoUs with his counterparts from Kuwait, Qatar and Egypt covering electricity and grid interconnection, renewables, oil and gas, and infrastructure; the Qatar MoU includes studying oil and gas pipeline opportunities.

He also signed four MoUs with ministers from Mongolia, Tanzania, Cyprus and Mauritius. The Ministry of Energy signed an MoU with the IEF on clean energy and the circular carbon economy, while the Oil Sustainability Program signed an MoU with Sierra Leone's energy ministry and an agreement with a US foundation for improving human lives on clean cooking with liquefied petroleum gas.

The meetings carry added weight as Riyadh is the permanent seat of the IEF Secretariat. Ministers also welcomed continued cooperation under the joint work programme of the International Energy Agency, the IEF and OPEC.