International roadmap
The World Economic Forum said Argentine President Javier Milei will attend its Annual Meeting 2026, scheduled for Jan. 19–23 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.
Held under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue,” the meeting will bring together leaders from government, business, civil society and academia to address challenges such as cooperation in a fragmented world, new sources of growth, investment in human capital, responsible innovation and prosperity within planetary boundaries. The agenda includes discussions on economic resilience and the energy transition, against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions and rising resource demand.
Milei, who attended the 2025 meeting, used that platform to lay out his views on capitalism, criticizing ideological approaches such as “wokeism” and questioning global policies on issues including feminism and climate change. In his previous appearance, he emphasized economic freedom and fiscal reform as tools to fight poverty, casting the state as a problematic actor. His deregulation agenda has had an impact on Argentina’s energy sector, although energy was not a central focus of his prior remarks.
So far, confirmed participants include Milei and U.S. President Donald Trump, who is expected to attend the main event. Trump’s son, Eric Trump, will deliver a keynote at a parallel event organized by Greek House in Davos titled “Global Shifts.” Trump, known for oil- and gas-friendly policies during his presidency, could contribute to discussions on energy and international trade, though specific interventions have not been detailed.
The WEF typically draws representatives from its strategic partners, many of them from the energy sector, which often send senior executives as attendees or speakers. Partner companies include Saudi Aramco of Saudi Arabia; Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., or ADNOC, of the United Arab Emirates, with operations spanning oil, gas and LNG; U.S. ExxonMobil, focused on oil and gas exploration including shale; Shell of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, with an emphasis on LNG and the energy transition; TotalEnergies of France, active in oil, gas and LNG; Eni of Italy, with oil and gas operations including LNG projects; Reliance Industries of India, with oil and gas divisions; Trafigura Group of Singapore and Switzerland, a major commodities trader in oil and gas; Mercuria Energy Group of Switzerland, an energy trader; and Vitol of Switzerland, a global trader of oil and LNG.
These industry leaders could offer perspectives on the future of global energy, including supply diversification, competition in LNG markets and the role of shale in energy resilience, aligning with the forum’s focus on growth and innovation. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Azerbaijan and India, represented through these companies, are key players in global oil and gas production and trade.
In the Argentine context, Milei’s participation comes as the country’s energy sector expands, centered on the Vaca Muerta shale formation in Neuquén, considered the world’s second-largest reserve of unconventional gas. According to Shale24, the Argentine president is expected to highlight that development. Milei’s government is projecting $22 billion in energy investment for 2026–2028, with Vaca Muerta as a priority. A recent milestone was the entry of U.S.-based shale producer Continental Resources, which acquired a 90% stake in the Los Toldos II Oeste concession, signaling the arrival of new international players and boosting development of the formation.
LNG, Argentina’s energy bridge to the world
On liquefied natural gas, Argentina made significant progress in 2025, focusing on international agreements to promote exports from Vaca Muerta. In June, state-run YPF signed an initial agreement with Italy’s Eni for the Argentina LNG project. In October, the companies advanced a technical agreement, and in November, Eni and YPF brought in XRG, part of ADNOC’s group, through a nonbinding framework agreement. The partners are targeting a final investment decision by mid-2026 for a project of up to 12 million metric tons per year.
In addition, in December, the Southern Energy consortium, led by Pan American Energy, reached a landmark deal with Germany’s SEFE to supply up to 2 million tons of LNG per year for eight years starting in 2027. The contract represents about one-third of a liquefaction plant’s capacity and strengthens ties with Europe as it seeks to diversify energy supplies. These steps follow reforms after Argentina’s November midterm elections, which were widely interpreted as support for infrastructure such as pipelines and LNG projects.
The forum could facilitate engagement between Argentina and global energy players in a year when the WEF is emphasizing execution of resilient growth strategies amid pressures such as rising demand from artificial intelligence data centers and geopolitical tensions.
While Milei has expressed skepticism toward international climate agendas, analysts say Vaca Muerta could serve as a bridge in the energy transition by helping diversify global LNG and gas supply. The presence of major energy partners in Davos offers an opportunity to explore collaboration in a competitive environment for resources and sustainable technologies.