Qatar Economic Forum heads to New York as global trade, energy and investment face new risks

The Qatar Economic Forum returns to New York alongside UNGA 81, bringing global leaders together to discuss trade, energy, AI, capital and geopolitical riskThe Qatar Economic Forum, Powered by Bloomberg, will hold a special edition in New York on September 20, alongside the 81st United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week, bringing together policymakers, investors and business executives as geopolitical uncertainty, shifting trade flows and changes in energy and technology reshape the global economy.In collaboration with Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the event will be held under the theme Growth on New Terms: Capital, Risk and Resilience.According to a Qatar Economic Forum press release, discussions will focus on Middle East geopolitical shifts, energy supply and demand, changing global trade flows, capital allocation and the economic implications of artificial intelligence.Karen Saltser, CEO of Bloomberg Media, said the global economy is being reshaped by new centres of influence, investment and ambition, with the Middle East continuing to play an essential role in that transformation.She added that Bloomberg remains committed to elevating ideas and perspectives emerging from the region, stating, “This special edition of QEF extends that conversation at a critical moment for global leadership and decision-making.”Jad Chaaban, Associate Professor of Economics at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, told Doha News that this year’s forum comes amid monetary fragmentation, high sovereign debt levels and trade wars.“GCC economies are actively deploying counter-cyclical capital and recycling current account surpluses into critical infrastructure,” he said.The New York gathering comes as governments and investors reassess economic risks linked to geopolitical tensions, fragmented trade and changing energy markets.Mubarak Ajlan Mubarak Al-Kuwari, executive director to the Permanent Committee for Organising Conferences, said the New York edition would connect perspectives from Qatar and the wider region with international leaders at a time of global change and uncertainty.Chaaban told Doha News that hosting the forum ahead of the UN General Assembly represents a shift from Qatar’s role as a regional host towards a more direct engagement with global political and institutional capital.“Hosting the forum alongside the UN General Assembly in New York signals a deliberate pivot from regional host to proactive global agenda-setter,” Chaaban said.He added that the timing allows Qatar to engage directly with major political and institutional capital allocators “at a moment of acute international fragmentation.”Chaaban stressed that regional conflict had also increased systemic risks for Gulf maritime transit, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz.“In the short term, this instability raises maritime insurance premiums, freight costs, and gas price benchmarks,” he explained.“In the long term, supply-security concerns validate long-term contracts over volatile spot transactions. This dynamic accelerates long-term off-take commitments for Qatar’s North Field expansion, locking in baseline export demand from Europe and Asia,” he added.The first announced speakers include Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Minister of State for Energy Affairs and QatarEnergy President and CEO Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi, Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Qatar Investment Authority CEO Mohammed Saif Al-Sowaidi and Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani.Global business leaders, including Bloomberg founder Michael Bloomberg, Citi Chair and CEO Jane Fraser, Goldman Sachs Group Chairman and CEO David M. Solomon, and Apollo Global Management Chairman and CEO Marc Rowan, are also due to participate.Produced by Bloomberg Live and editorially programmed by Bloomberg News, the gathering will be streamed live via the Bloomberg Terminal, Bloomberg TV, and Bloomberg.com. “Bloomberg This Weekend” will also broadcast live from the event, with hosts David Gura, Christina Ruffini, and Lisa Mateo bringing live reporting and interviews to Bloomberg’s global audience.The full Qatar Economic Forum is scheduled to return to Doha in April 2027.