Doha:More than 5,000 participants, including heads of government, ministers, CEOs, sovereign wealth fund leaders, academics, and civil society members, will convene in Doha from October 25 to 27 for the World Investment Forum 2026. The event aims to explore ways to extend investment benefits to more economies and promote development.

According to Wam, global foreign direct investment reached $1.6 trillion in 2025, yet over 80% of these investments were concentrated in just 20 economies. The World Investment Forum 2026 will feature over 80 sessions with more than 400 speakers, addressing various aspects of investment for development. These include investment policy, investment promotion, special economic zones, sustainable finance, climate and oceans, entrepreneurship and small businesses, artificial intelligence, and tourism and culture.

The discussions will cover topics such as international investment agreements, critical minerals, sustainable stock exchanges, and resilience in small island developing states. A key focus will be on directing capital to sectors and economies that are most in need.

For the first time, the Forum's agenda will include peace, acknowledging the rising reconstruction needs and the impact on investment in fragile and conflict-affected economies. It will examine how to transition capital from relief to recovery, drawing insights from reconstruction experiences in different contexts.

Additionally, space will also feature on the agenda for the first time. With decreasing launch costs, the space economy is becoming accessible to more countries. The Forum will explore how developing economies can attract investments in the space sector and participate meaningfully in its growth.