The forum will focus on coordinated policy and investment solutions to future-proof global supply chains.
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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in partnership with the Saudi Ports Authority – Mawani – and UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), will host the second edition of the UN Global Supply Chain Forum later this year in Riyadh.
The decision follows sustained collaboration between UNCTAD and Mawani to strengthen global trade resilience and advance more sustainable and efficient supply chains.
The Forum comes at a moment of shifting trade policies and increasing fragmentation in global markets. According to UN Trade and Development’s latest Global Trade Update, these developments are reshaping trade patterns, affecting competitiveness and underscoring the need for coordinated responses to maintain resilience and predictability in international commerce.
Shaping the next phase of global supply chain cooperation
Building on the success of the inaugural forum held two years ago in Bridgetown, Barbados, the 2026 Forum will convene government leaders, industry executives and international organisations at a critical juncture for global trade. The focus will be on advancing coordinated policy responses to strengthen resilience, sustainability and digital integration across supply chains.
Participants will address systemic risks – including geopolitical fragmentation, climate-related disruptions, shifting trade patterns, technological transformation and infrastructure gaps – with the aim of translating dialogue into concrete and implementable action.
In a rapidly evolving global economy, where seaborne trade accounts for more than 80% of global merchandise flows, resilient and inclusive logistics systems are essential to sustaining economic growth and development. The 2026 Forum will serve as a platform for forging practical policy solutions, mobilising investment in resilient infrastructure and enhancing coordination to ensure the uninterrupted flow of essential goods, even in times of crisis.
Driving practical solutions through partnership
Key priorities at the Forum will include:
- Building on outcomes from the first Global Supply Chain Forum and the UNCTAD16 ministerial roundtable dedicated to supply chains;
- Promoting concerted action on policy and regulatory frameworks that support resilient, low-carbon and digitally enabled trade and logistics systems;
- Supporting vulnerable economies, including least developed countries (LDCs), small island developing states (SIDS) and landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), which face higher freight costs and heightened exposure to supply chain disruptions.
The partnership between UNCTAD and Mawani reflects the Kingdom’s growing role as a global logistics hub and its commitment to advancing international cooperation on trade, transport and sustainable development.
This second edition of the Global Supply Chain Forum underscores a shared determination to strengthen supply chains against future shocks while ensuring they contribute meaningfully to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.