No US government official has been invited to the Future Investment Initiative (FII) international economic conference, sometimes called the “Davos of the desert”, scheduled for late October in Riyadh, the organizer said on Monday, saying he did not want to postpone the event turned into – ” political platform,” reports AFP.

The decision, which contrasts with that of previous years, comes amid tensions between the United States and Saudi Arabia, with major oil exporters announcing output cuts.

Launched in 2017 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the MFI aims to attract foreign investors and advance a plan to diversify the kingdom’s economy, which is heavily dependent on oil exports. The sixth edition begins on October 25 in Riyadh.

According to Richard Attias, director of the FII Institute, which organizes the event, nearly 400 American business leaders are expected to attend this year, but “no representative of the American government has been invited.”

“We don’t invite too many politicians” because their presence distracts the media and “we don’t want the FII to become a political platform,” he told AFP.

Earlier at the press conference, Attias said that “more than 12 ministers of economy and finance” will be present this year. He also mentioned the possibility of the participation of some heads of state, whose identities will be confirmed “in the coming days”, he clarified.

In 2017, US President Donald Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin attended the launch of the IFI. He resigned in 2018 amid global outrage over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

In 2021, Don Graves, the deputy secretary of commerce in the Biden administration, was invited to the event.