A high-profile economic forum in Saudi Arabia began on Tuesday in Riyadh, with the crown prince making a brief public appearance at the kingdom's first major event since the killing of writer Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul earlier this month.
The crown prince attended the investment forum alongside King Abdullah II of Jordan.
Khashoggi's death loomed large over the start of the event, known as the Future Investment Initiative, which came as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that Saudi officials murdered Khashoggi in their Istanbul consulate after plotting his death for days.
At the opening of the conference, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih described the journalist's killing as "abhorrent."
Some of the forum's keynote speakers and numerous Western executives and officials had cancelled plans to attend over Khashoggi's October 2 slaying.
The forum is the brainchild of Prince Mohammed and is aimed at drawing more foreign investment into the kingdom to help create desperately needed jobs for millions of young Saudis entering the workforce in the coming years.
Despite the absence of key executives and speakers from the United States and other Western partners, some 50 billion US dollars in deals were signed at the forum, with Russian and Asian businesses and officials eager to do business with the kingdom.
Prince Mohammed has come under mounting pressure, with critics suspecting he ordered Khashoggi's death or at least knew about it.
Saudi authorities say they have arrested suspects and dismissed senior officials, but the crown prince has thus far escaped blame.
Earlier on Tuesday, King Salman and Prince Mohammed received Khashoggi's son, Salah, and his brother, Sahel, at the Yamama Palace in Riyadh, where the two royals expressed their condolences.
A friend of the Khashoggi family told The Associated Press that Salah has been under a travel ban since last year.
The individual spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing reprisal.
