Connecting the World from the Skies Global Forum 2024

Under the patronage of H.E. Eng. Abdullah Amer AlSwaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology and Chairman of the Board of the Communications, Space & Technology Commission, CST organized, in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the second edition of the Connecting the World from the Skies Global Forum in Riyadh on 25–26 November 2024, under the theme “Shaping the Future of Converged Connectivity”.

The forum brought together ministers, heads of regulatory authorities, CEOs of leading satellite and telecommunications companies, researchers and investors from around the world to discuss the integration of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks, direct-to-device (D2D) satellite connectivity, preparations for the World Radiocommunication Conference 2027 (WRC-27), and the sustainability and economy of space.

Highlights included the launch of the Centre for Space Futures — the first of its kind within the World Economic Forum's network of Fourth Industrial Revolution Centres — the signing of an NTN cooperation agreement with ITU and an MoU with the Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission, the first direct-to-device (D2D) satellite connectivity trial in the Middle East and North Africa, and the announcement of the winners of the second IEEE Competition on Non-Terrestrial Networks for 6G.

Launch of the Centre for Space Futures in partnership with the World Economic Forum; a cooperation agreement between CST and ITU on hosting global NTN events; an MoU with the Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission; five live technology trials including the region's first D2D trial, LEO broadband, industrial-sector connectivity, connectivity balloons for disaster response, and satellite IoT; and the honoring of the winners of the IEEE Competition on Non-Terrestrial Networks for 6G, which attracted more than 170 researchers from 30 countries.