World Governments Summit reveals record international participation

Emirates 24/7

29-01-2025

The 12th edition of the World Governments Summit will take place in Dubai from 11th to 13th February 2025, under the theme 'Shaping Future Governments'. Record international participation, the largest in WGS history, is expected this year.
Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Governments Summit Organisation, stated that under the vision and guidance of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the World Government Summit has, over the past 12 years, become the world's largest and most influential forum for governments.
It is a highly anticipated annual gathering where global leaders convene to discuss, strategise, and shape the future, driving transformative change for the sustainable progress and prosperity of their societies.
Speaking at the World Governments Summit Dialogue, held today at the Museum of the Future in Dubai to address the key themes and latest additions to WGS, Al Gergawi said, 'The World Government Summit has achieved its prominent status through a unique and forward-thinking vision. This vision prioritises proactive future planning as the foundation of effective governance, focusing on empowering individuals and developing thriving communities. It champions international partnerships and collaboration as the most effective way to achieve common goals and ensure prosperity for all.'
Al Gergawi announced that this year's Summit will host over 30 heads of state and government, 80+ international organisations, 140 government delegations, and 6,000+ participants, including leading global experts. The expanded agenda features 21 global forums exploring future trends across 200+ interactive sessions, addressed by 300+ prominent figures. Over 30 ministerial meetings and roundtables will convene 400+ ministers, culminating in the release of 30 strategic reports developed with the Summit's international knowledge partners.
Al Gergawi announced the participation of several world leaders, including Prabowo Subianto, President of the Republic of Indonesia; Andrzej Duda, President of the Republic of Poland; Anura Kumara Dissanayake, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka; Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego, President of the Republic of Colombia; Bernardo Arévalo, President of the Republic of Guatemala; Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait; Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia; Robinah Nabbanja, Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda; Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya; Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity of the State of Libya; Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia; Mohammad Younus, Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
Al Gergawi explained that the summit has become a leading platform for forward-thinking, convening leaders, experts, entrepreneurs, and innovators to explore future trends and collaboratively address humanity's challenges.
The summit will feature dialogues with heads of international organisations, including Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund; Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union; Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency; Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States; Haitham Al Ghais, Secretary-General of OPEC; and Jasem Albudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
The summit will also welcome leaders from key global sectors, including prominent figures from the artificial intelligence, energy, transportation, tourism, finance, and media industries. Participants include Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google; Joseph Tsai, Chairman of Alibaba Group; Michael Miebach, CEO of Mastercard; Almar Latour, CEO of Dow Jones; Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca; David Baszucki, Co-founder and CEO of Roblox; and Larry Ellison, Co-founder, Chairman, and CTO of Oracle, among others.
The World Government Summit is setting record-breaking participation in its latest edition, both in terms of scale and diversity. Attendance has increased by over 50 percent compared to last year, representing the largest gathering in the Summit's history, with delegates from every continent and a wide range of sectors. The summit aims to be a unifying platform for governments worldwide, fostering economic, social, and governmental progress towards equitable development for all.
Distinguished attendees include President Andry Nirina Rajoelina of Madagascar, President José Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele of the Solomon Islands, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan, Prime Minister Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah of Kuwait, Prime Minister Abdel Hamid Dbeibeh of Libya, and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. This diverse representation underscores the summit's commitment to global collaboration and inclusive development.
The summit's record participation extends to leaders from key global sectors, including technology, health, media, aviation, transportation, and tourism. These leaders will participate in extensive discussions aimed at identifying opportunities and developing innovative solutions to accelerate growth within their respective sectors.
The summit also welcomes leaders from prominent international organisations, including Dr. Fahad AlTurki, Director General and Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund; Dr. Abdulhamid Alkhalifa, Director-General of the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID); Odile Renaud-Basso, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. Their presence highlights the summit's focus on addressing global challenges and fostering collaborative solutions.
Additionally, CEOs of major global technology companies and leaders of influential companies in the health sector will contribute to the discussions.
The World Government Summit's latest edition focuses on six key themes: Effective Governance and Accountability; Financing the Future and the Global Economy; Climate, Crisis Mitigation, and Resilient Cities; Human-centric Futures and Capacity Building; Global Health Transformations; and Emerging Frontiers and the Future.
The summit's agenda features 21 forums covering these themes, bringing together ministers, government officials, and sector leaders. These forums include: the Future of Mobility Forum; the Artificial Intelligence Forum; the Government Services Forum; the Future of Education Forum; the Government Experience Exchange Forum; the Future of Work Forum; the Emerging Economies Forum; the SDGs in Action Forum; the Arab Public Administration Forum and the Zero Bureaucracy Forum among others. The pre-summit day features the Arab Meeting for Young Leaders and the Arab Fiscal Forum.
Several ministerial meetings and high-level gatherings will take place during the summit, including the Arab Government Administration Forum Ministerial Meeting, the Arab Youth Ministers Meeting, the GCC Labour Ministers Meeting, a high-level meeting between Latin American and MENA countries on future investment, ministerial meetings on digital justice and COP29, the ICAO Council meeting, and the Latin American Administrative Development Organisation Council meeting. Numerous roundtable discussions will address topics such as AI, development cooperation, emerging economies, government communication, family businesses, and tourism.
The summit will also host the annual gathering of TIME100's most influential people in AI. Through this comprehensive agenda of forums, meetings, and discussions, the summit aims to provide a roadmap for governments to navigate rapid transformations, anticipate future opportunities and challenges, and foster international partnerships for sustainable development and prosperity.
The World Government Summit, in its latest edition, provides a clear roadmap for governments to navigate the rapid transformations occurring across key sectors. Through a comprehensive agenda that anticipates future opportunities and key challenges, the summit facilitates extensive dialogue to develop innovative solutions and best practices. This exchange of knowledge and expertise fosters international partnerships to maximise opportunities for sustainable development and societal prosperity.
Further solidifying its global influence, the World Government Summit will launch 30 strategic reports across various sectors. These reports, developed in collaboration with leading think tanks and research institutions, will offer key indicators, models, and innovative solutions to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, enhance government preparedness and resilience, and foster greater international cooperation.
The summit will also present several prestigious global awards recognising exceptional contributions to building a better future. These include the Best Minister in the World Award (in partnership with PwC), the Creative Government Innovations Award, the Global Award for Best Government Applications, the Global Government Excellence Award, and the Best Teacher in the World Award (in partnership with the Varkey Foundation).
Finally, the summit will launch the Global Ministers Survey, inviting ministers worldwide to share their insights on critical global issues and contribute to collaborative solutions.
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