The UN-led forum returns to Qatar from 25 to 27 October, bringing more than 5,000 participants to discuss artificial intelligence, sustainable finance, economic recovery, and the future of global investment.
Doha will host the ninth World Investment Forum from 25 to 27 October, bringing together political leaders, senior UN officials, business executives, and investors as widening disparities in global investment raise concerns over economic development.
Organised by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in partnership with Qatar, the three-day event will take place at the Sheraton Convention Center under the theme “Investing in the Future”, with more than 80 sessions and over 400 speakers expected.
The forum comes as global foreign direct investment rose 6% to $1.6 trillion in 2025, ending two years of decline. However, more than 80% of those flows went to just 20 economies, according to UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2026.
Doha to bring together political and economic decision-makers
Four prime ministers, four deputy prime ministers and nearly 50 ministers are expected to participate in the forum.
Confirmed attendees include Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Lesotho’s Prime Minister Samuel Matekane, Libya’s Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and Madagascar’s Prime Minister Mamitiana Rajaonarison.
AI, economic recovery and new investment opportunities
The forum will also bring together prominent international figures, including World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nuwais and International Telecommunication Union Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin.
The programme will focus on directing capital towards economies and industries in need. For the first time, there will be a dedicated track on artificial intelligence, highlighting its importance in global investment.
Discussions will also cover investment in peace and post-conflict reconstruction, critical minerals, energy, climate finance, entrepreneurship, tourism and the emerging space economy.
Qatar Museums and Art Basel will also discuss the economic potential of art and culture.
Doha hosts the forum for a second time
This year’s World Investment Forum returns to Doha, which last hosted the forum in 2012. That edition saw the introduction of UNCTAD’s Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development, which has since influenced policymaking in over 150 countries.
The 2023 forum was held in Abu Dhabi, while previous editions have been held in Accra, Xiamen, Geneva, and Nairobi.
The forum’s return to Doha underscores Qatar’s importance in global investment discussions amid geopolitical uncertainty.
UNCTAD has also recognised Qatar’s role in the Gulf as a key investment hub, promoting partnerships and cooperation.
Plenary sessions will be livestreamed, and the full programme is available on the official forum website.