The 11th edition of World Governments Summit (WGS 2024), convening over 4,000 attendees in Dubai from 12th to 14th February, will continue its dedicated pursuit of innovative solutions to pressing future challenges.
This was emphasised by Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Governments Summit Organisation, as he unveiled the agenda for the new edition during Tuesday’s WGS Dialogue at the Museum of the Future.
Themed “Shaping Future Governments”, the WGS 2024 convenes a global forum of influence, heads of state, government officials, and leaders from over 80 international and regional organisations join 120 governmental delegations. Thought leaders, business professionals, and global experts, including over 8 Nobel laureates, enrich discussions across 110 interactive dialogues. Over 200 prominent speakers, including presidents, ministers, and visionaries, share their insights alongside 23 ministerial meetings and executive sessions welcoming over 300 ministers. This esteemed gathering promises to illuminate the path towards shaping a brighter future for all.
Participating in this year’s summit are 27 heads of organisations, including Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League, and Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
The summit is set to launch a series of strategic reports, exceeding 25 reports, focusing on the most important practices and trends in vital sectors. These reports cover forums, ministerial meetings, and knowledge-sharing sessions.
The summit will host 15 global forums focusing on developing future strategies and plans in key sectors relevant to humanity. These forums are organised in partnership with various international organisations, global technological institutions, and leading companies, as well as institutions dedicated to innovating new solutions for challenges facing human societies.
These forums include the Global Health Forum, Government Services Forum, Arab Government Administration Forum, Knowledge Exchange Forum, Future of Transportation Forum, Public Finance Forum for Arab Countries, Future of Education Forum, Space Future Forum, and Advanced Industry and Technology Forum.
The WGS 2024 continues its diverse dialogues through forums such as the Artificial Intelligence Forum, the Future of Work Forum, the Emerging Economies Forum, the Governance of Geotechnology Forum, the Sustainable Development Goals Forum, in addition to the Arab Meeting for Young Leaders and the ‘Time 100’ event.
The new edition of the summit will also host purposeful global discussions aiming to envision the shaping of future governments. It will bring together world leaders, global government officials, international organizations, thought leaders, and private sector leaders to ensure the enhancement of international cooperation, identify innovative solutions for future challenges, anticipate key opportunities, and inspire the next generation of governments.
High-level ministerial meetings will be held during the summit, including discussions on sustainable development, the next generation of future governments, Arab finance, labour ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and the future of hydrogen energy.
6 Main Themes
The WGS 2024 focuses on six urgent main themes, including Government Acceleration and Transformation, Artificial Intelligence and The Next Frontiers, Reimagining Development and Future Economies, Future Societies and Education, Sustainability and The New Global Shifts, and Urbanisation and Global Health Priorities.
Summit Partners
The summit partners have confirmed that the WGS 2024 has become a global gathering for an elite group of government leaders, ministers, senior officials, decision-makers, thought leaders, and experts in financial, economic, and social affairs. They come together to discuss insights and ideas contributing to the development of innovative solutions for global challenges and improving the lives of communities worldwide.
The list of summit partners includes the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority as the lead partner; the Dubai Road and Transport Authority (RTA); the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) as the sustainable energy partner; the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) as the strategic partner; the Dubai Municipality as the smart city partner; Etisalat by e as the technology partner, and the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) as the research and innovation partner.
In this regard, Mattar Al Tayer, Commissioner-General for Infrastructure, Urban Planning and Well-Being Pillar and Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), affirmed that the rapidly changing global challenges necessitate the development of a global model through which governments can collaborate to support developmental efforts and innovate solutions. These solutions contribute to overcoming challenges and fostering the prosperity of societies. He highlighted that the World Governments Summit has become a global event bringing together thought leaders, experts, and decision-makers from different countries to share their ideas and visions for the future of governments.
Al Tayer stated that through its partnership with the WGS 2024, the RTA reaffirms its continuous commitment to participate in global efforts to innovate solutions that positively impact human lives. The Authority showcases qualitative initiatives and shares the results of their implementation, benefiting from best practices and successful experiences.
He added,
“We are pleased that the Authority is the ‘Sustainable Energy Partner’ for the summit. Through our participation, we aim to review global transformations in the energy sector and present our pioneering global experience in transitioning to renewable and clean energy to achieve carbon neutrality. This is achieved through leading projects in renewable and clean energy.”
On the other hand, Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, Director-General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), stated,
“Over the years, the WGS 2024 has established itself as a prestigious global platform for shaping future government policies. It has become an annual meeting where top experts and officials from around the world gather, engage in dialogue, exchange knowledge and experiences, and formulate shared visions that align with the nature of the stage and contribute to shaping the future.
He added,
“We at the TDRA are pleased with our partnership with the summit, as it aligns with our aspirations to establish a digital system that enhances the quality of life. We see that the summit contributes to enhancing global cooperation to benefit from the broad opportunities presented by successive developments, as well as addressing challenges arising from these developments.
On his part, Dawoud Al Hajri, Director-General, Dubai Municipality, stated,
“Dubai Municipality’s participation in the WGS 2024, the globally prominent event in the field of global government cooperation, comes to seize the opportunity to understand the outlines of the future of governments and to be informed about global trends, opinions of decision-makers, and thought leaders.”
He pointed out that Dubai Municipality participates in this year’s summit with a model of the city of the future, envisioning municipal work areas and harnessing advanced technology and artificial intelligence to develop the quality of life and well-being of the residents.
In addition, Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director-General, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), said,
“The WGS 2024 provides appropriate opportunities to discuss and envision the future regarding best practices, innovative solutions, and means that contribute to accelerating the achievement of global sustainable development goals to build a more prosperous future for communities.”
He added that the ADFD, through its strategic participation in the summit over the past years, believes that effective collaboration between governments, international institutions, and global organisations in implementing sustainable projects is the optimal approach that will contribute to transforming challenges into opportunities. This aligns with the UAE’s approach to sustainable development locally and globally.
He highlighted the strategic dimensions that the summit explores in its economic and developmental aspects within the framework of rapid global changes. These dimensions will enable countries and decision-makers to direct policies, prioritize effectively, and formulate future plans in line with technological, digital, and artificial intelligence advancements, which will have a significant impact on the development of societies.
In turn, Faisal AlBannai, Secretary-General, Advanced Technology Research Council, stated,
“In light of the rapid developments in artificial intelligence and the expected quantum leap in this field in 2024, the council continues its efforts to enhance research and development in Abu Dhabi and demonstrate its commitment to advancing artificial intelligence technology. This includes overseeing ‘Falcon,’ the first-of-its-kind language model in the UAE and one of the most powerful models globally, through its specialised entities, the Technology Innovation Institute and AI71 Company.
He added,
“We take pride in being the research and innovation partner for the WGS 2024, where decision-makers and technology leaders from around the world gather to explore responsible foundations for deploying artificial intelligence technologies and other priorities in this promising field, as well as exchanging opinions and contributing to the global dialogue on this matter.”
Masood M. Sharif Mohamed, Chief Executive Officer of etisalat by e& in the UAE, affirmed,
“We are proud that etisalat by e is a leading partner of the World Governments Summit, representing a global platform for exchanging experiences and discussions among elite minds and decision-makers to create a better future for everyone.”
He stated,
“Etisalat by e& has long-term expertise spanning 48 years in the telecommunications and technology sectors, enabling it to contribute insights, strategies, and aspirations during the core axes of the summit agenda. It enriches the dialogue on harnessing artificial intelligence capabilities and the role of technology in accelerating the pace of growth, shaping future economies, sustainability, and smart cities.”
Global Awards
The WGS 2024 presents several global awards, acknowledging government ministers, private sector representatives, innovators, and creators for their exceptional contributions to building a better society for humanity.
The awards include the Best Minister in the World Award, Dubai International Award for Best Sustainable Development Practices, Creative Government Innovations Award, Global Award for the Best Government Applications, and the Global Government Excellence Award.
Yesterday, the WGS 2024 in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Middle East, announced the launch of the Global Survey of Ministers. This survey aims to gather opinions from ministers on various prominent international issues. Additionally, the seventh edition of the Best Minister in the World Award was launched as part of the summit’s initiatives, aiming to exchange ideas on global issues and celebrate unique models in government work that have developed innovative solutions to challenges, supporting the building of sustainable societies.
Global Survey of Ministers
The Global Survey of Ministers aims to gather opinions from ministers on various prominent international issues, forming a global vision for the challenges facing societies. The goal is to reach sustainable solutions, increase awareness of these issues, and motivate efforts to overcome and better understand them. The survey helps identify common priorities.
The survey seeks to strengthen cooperation between countries, providing a channel for communication among ministers from different nations to exchange ideas on global issues. The results contribute to determining development priorities, informing public policy formulation, guiding diplomatic efforts, and encouraging investment in research and development. The survey becomes a valuable tool that enhances international cooperation in addressing global issues.
The “Best Minister in the World” award celebrates outstanding achievements by ministers in facing challenges through the adoption of digital solutions and advanced technology to deliver exceptional government services. The strategies implemented anticipate future challenges.
In this regard, Ohood Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future, and Vice-Chair of WGSO, stated,
“The Best Minister in the World Award reflects the visions and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to stimulate innovation in government work and encourage initiatives and innovative projects. These aim to address current challenges and anticipate future ones with unique ideas that can be applied in reality, contributing to building knowledge-based and innovative societies with advanced artificial intelligence solutions.”
She emphasised that the award highlights exceptional government models to promote opportunities for sharing experiences and inspire government officials worldwide.
News Source: Emirates News Agency