First IFAT in Saudi Arabia in 2026
Messe München is now collaborating with Saudi Arabian MWAN (National Center for Waste Management) to bring IFAT to the country in January 2026. As reported by exhibition corporation Messe München, it will be holding its first trade fair in Saudi Arabia in 2026 with IFAT, one of the world’s leading trade fair for environmental technologies. In January this year, a cooperation agreement with the National Center for Waste Management (MWAN) in Saudi Arabia was formally ratified.
Great potential in Saudi Arabia
“Through this partnership with MWAN, the global network of IFAT with its 12 successful trade fairs in seven countries will thus be expanded by a strategically important new event,” the exhibition corporation is convinced. “The trade fair will be held at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center from January 26 to 28, 2026, and will bring together the key players in waste, water and various environmental technologies from the Middle East and North Africa.”
Stefan Rummel and Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer from Messe München underlined the potential in Saudi Arabia: “As per Dr. Abdullah, MWAN has been leading a major transformation journey of the sector in Saudi Arabia through extensive regulatory and planning efforts that fully embody circular economy principles, while creating hundreds of opportunities for local and global investors, to build an advanced and modern waste infrastructure over the next decade.” This new partnership would “help to tap into new unexplored markets for environmental technologies in the MENA region.”
High investment in sustainable development
According to the information, for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the trade fair is an important part of the government’s “Vision 2030” program, through which it is investing more heavily in the sustainable development of the economy. This would offer great growth potential for environmental technologies and the circular economy. The ambitious goals include 91 percent source segregated waste, 79 percent of waste prepared for recycling and 90 percent diversion from landfills by 2040.
For the water sector, desalinating seawater, expanding water networks and building wastewater treatment plants and associated infrastructure to meet national needs are all being accomplished while diligently ensuring the sustainable extraction and consumption of this valuable resource.
(Published in GLOBAL RECYCLING Magazine 1/2025, Page 28, Photo: Messe München GmbH)
