Saudi Arabia postpones UN data forum, Saudi statistical event to 2027

Saudi ‌Arabia's General ​Authority for Statistics has postponed the United Nations World Data Forum and the Second Saudi Statistical ‌Forum, previously scheduled for November 9 to 12, 2026, in Riyadh, to 2027, it said in a statement on Friday.

The move follows Saudi Arabia's decision on ‌Monday to delay its flagship investment conference to 2027, after deadly attacks in ‌recent weeks linked to the widening Middle East conflict disrupted business activity. The Future Investment Initiative had been due to take place from October 26 to 29. The authority said ⁠it ​postponed the UN ⁠data forum and the Saudi statistical forum to ensure broad international participation by speakers, experts ⁠and partners, and the delivery of an event that meets the expectations of the ​global data and statistics community.

Several other major events in Saudi Arabia, ⁠including the Six Kings Slam tennis tournament and the World Rally Championship's Saudi Arabia round, have ⁠also ​been cancelled or postponed amid escalating attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis. The US-Israeli war with Iran this year has disrupted the Gulf's events calendar, prompting ⁠the cancellation, postponement or restructuring of several conferences in the UAE and Qatar, which ⁠were more ⁠heavily affected by attacks than Saudi Arabia in the first part of the year.