The organisers of the World Petroleum Congress and the Future Investment Initiative have confirmed they will proceed, despite a major attack on Riyadh’s international airport and a warning from Yemen’s Houthis, who have declared Saudi airspace a military operations zone, Al Jazeera reports.
The World Petroleum Congress is set to host top global oil executives and policymakers from Sunday to Thursday, with attendees expected to include Saudi government officials and heads of corporations including ExxonMobil, Shell and Woodside Energy.
“Your comfort is our priority,” an email sent to delegates says, noting that alternative routes to Riyadh, including via a four-hour drive from Dammam on the kingdom’s eastern coast, were available.
The Future Investment Initiative would also proceed as planned from October 26 to 29, organisers say.
Chief executives of some of the world’s biggest financial institutions such as JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon and Citi’s Jane Fraser are on the list of expected attendees.
The Houthis have warned airliners to avoid Saudi airspace, declaring it a zone of military operations after the Yemeni government army launched an offensive against the Iran-backed group earlier this month.
