Move Over WEF, Here Comes the FII

Is Riyadh Davos-Lite?

You may be familiar with the World Economic Forum and its cartoonishly evil frontman, Klaus Schwab. But have you heard of the Future Investment Initiative conference? This year's actual theme is “Enabling a New Global Order.”

Founded in 2017, and located in scenic Riyadh, the FII’s annual conference invites a WEF-similar population of international bankers (J.P. Dimon and Ray Dalton) and globalist-friendly political figures (Jared Kushner, Steve Mnuchin) to enjoy fun in the sun and sand of Saudi Arabia, all while bemoaning every sociopath's favorite topic: overpopulation.

Similar to the WEF, many of the panels focus on the standard technocratic wet dreams of artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, and global investment (read: economic manipulation), along with more prosaic topics like hospitality and tourism.

Of course, the real goal is always power and control. This is made abundantly clear by the press release, which cheerfully promises that delegates will “address the most pressing economic questions of our time to shape the future of the global economy.”

While enthusiasm about the 2018 FII conference was somewhat dampened by the brutal murder of WaPo journalist Jamal Kashoggi right down the road, recent acrimony between the Biden administration and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hasn't done much to dispel the excitement of this year's event.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre made some veiled threats about “reputational concerns” that American companies might want to consider before attending, but stopped short of telling American billionaires to cancel their tickets.

Seemingly, the goal of Saudi Arabia in hosting the FII conference is to add depth to its public image. Like a pretty girl who wants to be known for her intelligence, the Crown Prince wants to show that his country is good for more than just pumping oil. Whether European megalomaniacs will see it that way, or just show up for the canapes and floor show, remains to be determined.

If your invitation was lost in the mail, follow the FII on Instagram here.