An investment conference that was expected to draw top U.S. executives to Saudi Arabia is losing several attendees due to the controversy surrounding the disappearance of a writer who contributed to the Washington Post. But one member of the Trump administration is still planning to go to the event known as “Davos in the Desert.” CNBC reports:
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin still plans to attend a Saudi investment conference later this month, despite growing outrage over the disappearance of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Several top executives and media companies, including CNBC, have announced they are pulling out of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, scheduled for Oct. 23-25.It comes after allegations were made about the kingdom’s connection to Khashoggi, who was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
Mnuchin told CNBC “Saudi has been a very good partner of ours in a lot of areas.”
"We are concerned about what is the status of Mr Khashoggi… (but) I am planning on going at this point," Treasury Sec Steve Mnuchin plans to attend a Saudi investment conference, despite concerns over the disappearance of prominent a Saudi journalist. https://t.co/pQOKcF5xBt pic.twitter.com/LPqOJ9dTM1
— CNBC (@CNBC) October 12, 2018
Bloomberg points out the following people have dropped out of the conference:
Viacom Inc. Chief Executive Officer Bob Bakish
Uber Technologies Inc. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, who won’t attend “unless a substantially different set of facts emerges”
Venture capitalist Steve Case, pending “further information”
Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong
HP Inc. executive Joanna Popper
CNN has withdrawn its participation in the Saudi Future Investment Initiative Conference.
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) October 12, 2018