Saudi Arabia has postponed the United Nations World Data Forum and the Second Saudi Statistical Forum until 2027, as the widening Middle East conflict continues to disrupt business activities and major events across the Gulf.
The General Authority for Statistics announced the decision in a statement on Friday, saying the two events, initially scheduled for November 9 to 12, 2026, in Riyadh, would now take place next year.
The authority said the postponement was intended to ensure broad international participation by speakers, experts and partners and deliver events that meet the expectations of the global data and statistics community.
The decision follows Saudi Arabia’s move on Monday to postpone its flagship Future Investment Initiative conference until 2027 after deadly attacks linked to the escalating regional conflict disrupted business activities.
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The investment conference had been scheduled to hold from October 26 to 29.
Other major events in Saudi Arabia have also been cancelled or postponed amid escalating attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis. They include the Six Kings Slam tennis tournament and the Saudi Arabia round of the World Rally Championship.
The war involving the United States, Israel and Iran has disrupted the Gulf’s events calendar this year, leading to the cancellation, postponement or restructuring of several conferences in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
