U.S.-Saudi Forum: Strengthening Business Ties Amid Controversy

The U.S.-Saudi Arabia investment forum in Washington is set to gather CEOs from major U.S. firms alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Focused on strengthening business relations, the event addresses sectors like technology and energy while revisiting diplomatic tensions from the Khashoggi incident.

The U.S.-Saudi Arabia investment forum, scheduled for this week in Washington, is anticipated to host chief executives from prominent companies including Chevron, Qualcomm, Cisco, General Dynamics, and Pfizer. The forum coincides with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit, marking his first U.S. trip since 2018.

Executives from IBM, Alphabet's Google, Salesforce, and others will attend the November 19 event at the Kennedy Center. Panels will cover vital sectors such as artificial intelligence, energy, technology, aerospace, health care, and finance. This visit follows a period of strained relations after the 2018 death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Despite past controversies, business and diplomatic ties between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia show signs of deepening. Recently, both nations pledged substantial investments, complemented by plans to allow the sale of U.S.-made F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia.

(With inputs from agencies.)