Saudi Foreign Minister to discuss reform of the international system at Munich 2026
His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs, participated in the 2026 Munich Security Conference, reflecting Saudi Arabia's prominent diplomatic presence at major international events. His Highness's participation included a high-level panel discussion entitled "The Turning Point: The International Order Between Reform and Collapse," which highlighted the existential challenges facing the current structure of international relations.
The session witnessed a distinguished international presence, with His Highness the Minister of Foreign Affairs participating alongside His Excellency the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Colombia, Mr. Pedro Arnulfo Sánchez Suárez, the Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, Mr. Michael Waltz, and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Ms. Kaja Callas. This diversity of speakers enriched the discussion on different visions for the future of global security.
The importance of the Munich Security Conference and the international context
The Munich Security Conference is the world’s foremost platform for discussing international security policies, bringing together policymakers, heads of state, and ministers to exchange views on current crises. The 2026 edition comes at a particularly sensitive time, marked by sharp global polarization and rapid geopolitical shifts, making the discussion of “reforming the international system” an urgent necessity, not merely an intellectual exercise. The Kingdom’s participation in this forum reflects its growing political influence and its pivotal role as a peacemaker and a reliable partner in promoting regional and international stability.
Discussion of transformations in the international system and economic crises
The panel discussion focused on an in-depth analysis of the transformations in the international system and the effectiveness of multilateral institutions—such as the United Nations and the Security Council—amid escalating tensions in various regions around the world. His Highness the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the participants discussed the complex security challenges that are no longer limited to traditional military conflicts, but have expanded to include cybersecurity, energy security, and supply chains.
The discussion also addressed at length the global economic crises and their direct impact on international peace and security. Emphasis was placed on the importance of reforming the international system by modernizing its mechanisms and laws to ensure justice and equality among nations, and to give developing and emerging countries a voice in shaping international decisions, in order to avoid scenarios of collapse and chaos that could result from the continuation of current imbalances in global power.
