The first day of the World Economic Forum’s special meeting in Riyadh has concluded successfully. Stay tuned for insights from global leaders on topics including the global economy, inclusive growth, human capital, artificial intelligence, geopolitical challenges, energy transition, and the outlook for the Middle East and North Africa region. Tomorrow, we’ll bring you a live video recording of the conference agenda, with real-time updates available on the World Economic Forum’s official Weibo account.

Driven by the rise of artificial intelligence, the resurgence of industrial policies, supply-chain restructuring, and the energy transition, the global economy is undergoing a transformative shift—highlighting a critical juncture. Against this backdrop, how can advanced economies and emerging markets join forces to reignite momentum for development and economic integration?

Keynote speaker:

Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda;

Bola Tinubu, President of Nigeria;

Anwar, Prime Minister of Malaysia;

Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund;

Borge Brende, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum;

Peter Orszag, CEO of Lazard Group Limited;

Faisal Alibrahim, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Economy and Planning;

Maroun Kairouz, Head of the World Economic Forum for the Middle East and North Africa.

Keynote speaker:

He Yang, Deputy Director of China's National Energy Administration;

Rafaela Guedes, Senior Research Fellow at the Brazilian Center for International Relations;

Heineken Lokpobiri, Nigeria's Minister of Petroleum Resources;

Ahmed Attaf, Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs;

Sameer Hashmi, BBC Middle East business correspondent.

In recent months, clean energy has experienced remarkable growth, with global renewable energy capacity additions in 2023 increasing by 50% compared to 2022. To achieve our goal of doubling renewable energy production by 2030, how can we leverage this growing momentum to accelerate the energy transition responsibly and efficiently?

Keynote speaker:

Li Zhenguo, President of LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd.;

Suhail Mohamed Faraj Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates;

Stephanie Jamison, Accenture Global Resources Industry Practice Chair and Head of Sustainability Services;

Salem Alhajraf, Kuwait's Minister of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy;

Marco Arcelli, CEO of ACWA POWER;

Joumanna Bercetche, Bloomberg News anchor.

Recently, economic growth has continued to slow down, while various crises and disruptions have emerged one after another. To revive economic growth and strike a balance between quantitative expansion and qualitative improvement, what strategies should we adopt?

Keynote speaker:

Tengku Zafrul Bin Tengku Abdul Aziz, Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry at Malaysia's Ministry of International Trade and Industry;

Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum;

Mohammed Al-Jadaan, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Finance;

Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund;

Joumanna Bercetche, Bloomberg News anchor.

Clean hydrogen, ammonia, and green molecules like biomass play a critical role in accelerating the energy transition and helping to achieve climate goals, particularly in heavy industry and the transportation sector.How can we effectively harness the potential of green molecules to advance clean energy goals, particularly in "hard-to-abate industries"?

Keynote speaker:

Suhail Mohamed Faraj Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates;

Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, Chairman of Indian Oil Corporation Limited;

Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman of the Board and CEO of TotalEnergies;

Jason Bordoff, Founding Director of Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy and Professor at the School of International and Public Affairs;

H.R.H. Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia;

Erasmo Carlos Battistella, Founder and CEO of Be8 SA;

Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy, and Digitalization at the African Union Commission.

Low-income and rural populations account for 40% of fintech customers and 26% of fintech transaction volumes. The fintech industry is well-positioned to continuously deliver new growth opportunities for low-income households and small businesses. To support the scalable expansion of the fintech sector both domestically and internationally, what additional efforts do we need to make?

Keynote speaker:

Omair Ansari, CEO of Abhi;

Shahbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan;

Khalifa Al Shamsi, CEO of e& Life and Acting CEO of e& International;

Eleni Giokos, CNN International correspondent;

Blythe Masters, Founding Partner at Motive Partners;

Amnah Ajmal, Executive President of Mastercard's Merchant & Commercial, Digital Partnerships, Fintech & Enablement, Strategy, and M&A Group.

Artificial intelligence can enhance workers' capabilities by automating tasks, yet concerns about technological unemployment and the concentration of productivity gains remain unresolved. As AI continues to advance, how should leaders across industries strike a balance between its benefits and potential drawbacks?

Keynote speaker:

Tiit Riisalo, Estonia's Minister of Economic Affairs and Information Technology;

Thomas L. Friedman, foreign affairs columnist for *The New York Times*;

Paula Ingabire, Minister of Information and Communication Technology and Innovation at Rwanda's Ministry of ICT and Innovation;

Øyvind Eriksen, President and CEO of Aker ASA;

Hiroaki Kitano, Executive Vice President, Chief Technology Officer, and CEO of Sony Research Institute at Sony Group Corporation;

Abdullah AlSwaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Saudi Arabia.

Climate change continues to intensify the severity and frequency of extreme weather events, yet significant progress remains elusive in helping communities cope with their devastating impacts and soaring costs. To effectively address the effects of climate change, what adaptation strategies can be adopted by public and private sectors, as well as by emerging and developed nations?

Keynote speaker:

Nena Stoiljkovic, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), overseeing Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy, and Digital Affairs;

Muhammad Aurangzeb, Pakistan's Minister of Finance and Revenue;

Lindelwe Lesley Ndlovu, CEO of ARC Limited, an African Risk Capability company;

Joyeeta Gupta, Professor of Environment and Development in the Global South at the University of Amsterdam;

Dan Murphy, CNBC anchor and reporter.

Domestic political and geopolitical divisions have already seeped into the realm of trade policy, prompting countries to adopt strategies such as friend-shoring and green outsourcing. Meanwhile, trade and cross-border investment remain critical drivers of economic growth and recovery—so how will these factors shape the future stability of international trade and global supply chains?

Keynote speaker:

Hala H. ElSaid Younes, Egypt's Minister of Planning and Economic Development;

Faisal Abbas, Editor-in-Chief of Arab News;

Clifford Kupchan, Chairman of Eurasia Group;

Brad Schneider, U.S. Representative to the House of Representatives;

Aloke Lohia, CEO of Indorama Ventures Group;

Ahn Dukgeun, South Korea's Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy.