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H.H. Sheikh Mohammed directs hosting of World Governments Summit 2025

by Madaline Dunn
written by Madaline Dunn

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has issued directives for hosting the next World Governments Summit, to be held between 18 and 20 February 2025.

Speaking about the role of the WGS, His Excellency Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs Chairman of the World Governments Summit Organisation, said the Summit serves as a global benchmark for improving government work and formulating long-term strategies of constructive international cooperation.

With this year’s World Governments Summit now wrapped up, His Excellency Al Gergawi shared that the event hosted over 4,000 experts from 140 governments, 85 international organisations and 700 global corporations who took part in more than 110 plenary sessions and interactive dialogues.

“We are committed to continue adding remarkable initiatives that reflect key challenges, during every edition of the World Governments Summit, which continues to lead as a platform for sharing knowledge and inspiring change around the world,” he added.

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DevelopingEnvironmentPolicy & Finance

WGS: Highlights from Day three as summit wraps up 

by Madaline Dunn
written by Madaline Dunn

After a jam-packed three days of insights and analysis, roundtables and panel discussions, this year’s World Governments Summit wraps up, having brought together over 4,000 delegates from across the world.

At the conclusion of the event, ESG Mena takes a look back at day three.

Youth, education & knowledge-sharing

On the final day of the summit, the importance of education and knowledge-sharing came into view, with various sessions centred around these topics. 

The day featured roundtables on higher education, sessions on the future of education, entrepreneurship as a route to personal development, and the digital education roadmap. 

Indeed, the latter was also a focus of a report from the World Governments Summit (WGS) Organization, e& and Code.org., titled: ‘State of Computer Science and ICT Education in the United Arab Emirates’.

The paper explores the ins and outs of digital literacy in the UAE and highlighted that while only 24 per cent of the population possesses programming skills, 96 per cent of parents believe computer science fosters creativity, problem-solving skills, and structured thinking.

Further, sharing insight into digital literacy’s capabilities to close inequality gaps, 88 per cent shared that they believe computer science opens job opportunities and reduces inequalities.

On bridging the learning gap, the UAE highlighted its initiatives such as ‘UAE Codes Day’ and ‘One Million Arab Coders.”

Later, in a keynote during the ‘Cities of Opportunity’ session, H.E. Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality, highlighted the role of youth in shaping the future and driving forward development. 

“There can be no sustained development of societies without active collaboration with the youth as they hold the key to future and innovation. They have set ambitious goals for their development and to weave their successes through an effective government agenda,” he said. 

On the knowledge-sharing front, the Government Experience Exchange Programme in the UAE announced the launch of leadership development programs with Kazakhstan, Malta, and Madagascar, with the aim of transferring the best practices adopted by the UAE in modernisation and government development.

Knowledge-sharing has been spotlighted by various individuals across this week’s event, including by New York State Senator Kevin Thomas, who spoke on the subject with ESG Mena’s Sal Jafar. 

Health and pandemic prevention 

Following on from the WHO Director-General’s warning that the world remains unprepared for another pandemic, health was once again an area of focus on day three.

Throughout the day there were a number of sessions on urban health and the pandemic, including one which explored an international legal framework for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, featuring Dr Jaouad Mahjour, Head, WHO Secretariat to INB and IHR Amendments and H.E. Amb. Achsanul Habib Vice Chair of Working Group, International Health Regulations, among others. 

Other sessions explored the role of tech in promoting urban wellbeing in crisis, as well as challenges, opportunities and solutions in the space. 

Today also saw The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) and Emirates Health Services (EHS) enter into a strategic partnership with AI71, with the aim of enhancing and expanding the capabilities within the UAE’s healthcare infrastructure.

Responsible AI

AI has been a key feature of this year’s event, and discussions continued throughout day three on how to ensure a future where responsible AI is prioritised. 

One session titled, Towards a Future of Responsible AI Roundtable, for example, once again brought together the likes of Dr. Yann LeCun, Turing Award Laureate, Vice President and Chief AI Scientist, Meta and Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO, NVIDIA to discuss this salient topic. 

Today also saw the UAE, represented by the Office of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, sign three MoUs with the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Mongolia, and the Republic of Colombia to enhance the adoption of artificial intelligence in various sectors and share best practices in the field. 

Meanwhile, the UAE’s Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications office and Emirates Global Aluminium announced a partnership to promote the adoption of artificial intelligence in the industrial sector.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivers keynote address

On the final day, Guest of Honour, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a keynote to delegates, which touched on various areas, including AI and crypto regulation, social inclusion, and sustainability. 

The Indian Prime Minister also inaugurated the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during his two-day visit to the country.

Financial strategies in the spotlight 

At the summit, the UAE’s Ministry of Finance signed a second renewal agreement with the World Bank Group for the payable advisory services agreement between the UAE and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

It also signed several partnership and cooperation agreements with regional and international financial leaders, with a number of specialised dialogue sessions on financial and economic trends.

Stay tuned for more ESG Mena interviews from the WGS. 

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IntelligenceLatest NewsPolicy & Finance

ADFD participates as strategic partner at WGS

by Madaline Dunn
written by Madaline Dunn

This week, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) participated in the World Governments Summit (WGS) in Dubai as a strategic partner, it shared.

Speaking about the ADFD’s role as a strategic partner, His Excellency Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of ADFD, highlighted the event’s role in providing a global platform for forging partnerships with international institutions and developing proactive plans to enhance governments’ readiness for rapid global advancements and economic changes.

“We will continue our efforts and cooperation with our local and international partners adopting innovative solutions, promoting sustainability principles, and developing vital sectors to address development challenges and stimulate the economy of developing countries,” H. E. Al Suwaidi said.

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EnergyEnvironmentInnovation & EducationLatest News

UAE MoEI launches big data ecosystem and digital twin platform at WGS

by Madaline Dunn
written by Madaline Dunn

The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI) has launched the Big Data Ecosystem for the Energy and Infrastructure Sectors and the Digital Twin Platform for the Energy and Infrastructure sectors. 

Launched in cooperation with stakeholders from the government and private sectors, the two initiatives were announced by His Excellency Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, at a press conference held at the WGS this week. 

There, MoEI signed a number of MoUs with different entities to support these initiatives.

It was shared that the big data ecosystem and platform aim to analyse and leverage big data and digital technologies to improve strategic decision-making and sustainable development in energy and infrastructure.

The Big Data ecosystem aims to link integrated data with partners to:

  • Promote the transition to more sustainable energy systems through data analysis, 
  • Provide the best proactive services, 
  • Reduce the duration of service provision, increase customer happiness, and
  • Enable informed decision-making. 

It also leverages artificial intelligence, simulation, and predictive smart analytics to shape the future of energy and infrastructure, while also building capabilities and developing human resources.

Meanwhile, the Twin Digital Platform displays live data on the livability and sustainability of cities on 3D models, including statistics about energy and water consumption, carbon footprint, traffic, demographic diversity, services, air quality, and waste with the aim of supporting decision-making and the implementation of targeted initiatives. 

Further, it provides a set of proactive models related to protecting infrastructure assets, improving traffic to reduce accidents and congestion, mitigating the effects of climate change, shaping future and predictive maintenance plans, and achieving climate neutrality.

The platform aims to strengthen the resilience of infrastructure to natural hazards and extreme weather events, support decision-making for developmental projects and initiatives based on current situation analyses and scenarios, enhance the efficiency of water and energy management, and improve waste management.

The Minister pointed out that the platform supports the acceleration of the transition to renewables by improving the efficiency and performance of renewable energy resources, driving the transition towards employing hydrogen technologies as an energy source, and supporting the provision of integrated infrastructure for the public EV charging network and increasing sales of EVs.

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DevelopingEnvironmentInnovation & Education

World Governments Summit: Day one spotlights AI, sustainability and the future of civilisation

by Madaline Dunn
written by Madaline Dunn

Over 4,000 delegates have descended on Dubai for the World Governments Summit, welcomed with heavy rains and thunderstorms. 

With attendees ranging from government officials and AI leaders to sustainability innovators and NGO heads, key themes from the first day spanned civilisation and conflict, AI’s evolution, global health challenges, sustainability and climate action. 

ESG Mena shares the key insights from across day one and fills you in on what you might have missed.

Civilisation and conflict 

Opening day one, H.E. Mohammed Al Gergawi, UAE’s Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Governments Summit, said that the world is living in what he called “the best, safest and most prosperous human era.” 

And, while on paper, when measuring certain metrics, this might appear true, it, of course, doesn’t account for the intensifying climate crisis and its wide-reaching impacts, the highest conflict death toll this century, and the ‘supercharged’ rich-poor gap. 

Indeed, aimed at international cooperation, in 2024, WGS takes place in a world divided. 

However, when framing the summit, Al Gergawi did note: “We are not overly optimistic or delusional. Rather, we have our feet on solid ground. We are well aware of our surroundings and keen to address all challenges.”

And there are many challenges that must be addressed, and many mistakes from which to learn. This was something stressed by numerous individuals across the day; troubling figures on the cost of conflict were also shared, highlighted to amount to $17 trillion in one year. 

“This was not invested in construction, education and health, but in wars, sabotage and destruction,” he said. “Six percent of this number could cover the cost of the most important challenges facing humanity in one year.”

“For example, it could eliminate hunger and literacy, treat cancer and provide clean water to humanity. Imagine what could be achieved if we invested more in addressing other challenges facing humanity,” he added.

Of course, the devastating human cost of conflict has also been demonstrated across both 2023 and 2024, and today, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for a ceasefire in Gaza.

AI and the digital landscape 

Elsewhere, on human civilisation and progress, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab, called for a move to “humanocracy.”

“If we look forward, we don’t want to move into using the Fourth Industrial Revolution into a cold bureaucracy. We don’t want to move into a technocracy. What we want to do…. we want to move for what I would call a “humanocracy,” a world where we use technology to use all our human potential and to create even a better world,” he said. 

Indeed, the evolution of technology and its impact on humanity was in the spotlight today, with tech titans and AI experts gathering at the summit.

In one session, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang called for each country to build its own artificial intelligence infrastructure and protect its “data sovereignty.” 

Meanwhile, the US-UAE Business Council launched a report which provides a comprehensive overview of the UAE’s AI ambitions.

Further to this, the UAE launched a $200 million fund to provide cutting-edge technology to developing countries. The fund will be financed by the Abu Dhabi government and overseen by the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC). 

However, alongside these talks around AI’s progress and potential, sessions also underlined the need for regulation and the prioritisation of ethical AI. 

This was highlighted by Schwab, who called for the creation of ethical frameworks to regulate AI.

Global health & pandemic preparation

Also in focus today was global health, and in one session, ‘A Pact with the Future: Why the Pandemic Agreement is Mission-Critical for Humanity’, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for preparation for the next pandemic. 

“Exactly six years ago, I said the world was not prepared for a pandemic and expressed my concern at that time that a pandemic could happen any time,” he said, adding: “Less than two years later, the Covid-19 pandemic struck, and the world is still not prepared today.”

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the lessons learned in the pandemic are in danger of being forgotten as attention turns to the many other crises confronting the world.

“But if we fail to learn those lessons, we will pay dearly next time – and there will be a next time. The cycle of panic and neglect is beginning to repeat,” he said. 

He subsequently called for leaders to commit to the treaty when the World Health Assembly convenes in May. 

The treaty has, however, been subject to a number of criticisms, including on its failure to enshrine core human rights standards protected under international law, in particular, the right to health and the right to benefit from scientific progress.

Sustainability, climate finance, and ramping up action

Taking place in the second Year of Sustainability, climate and environment was another focal point throughout the summit. 

During day one, for example, it was noted that climate financing needs in the Middle East and Central Asia could potentially hit $3 trillion by 2030. These figures were put forward by a new IMF report titled ‘Preparing Financial Sectors for a Green Future.’

Elsewhere at the event were conversations on sustainable mobility, and green energy. 

H.E. Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), for example, described the organisation’s development of alternative aviation fuels.

“We are working hard to develop sustainable fuel technology and implement incentivizing policies to promote its use. This will help cut carbon dioxide emissions and achieve sustainability goals in the aviation sector. We, in the organization, believe that this path represents a brilliant future for the aviation industry and will boost local and global economies,” said Salazar. 

A major partnership between the UAE, Azerbaijan and Brazil was also launched, with the aim of maintaining what was called “mission 1.5ºC”.

ESG Mena is on the ground at the summit providing coverage on all the latest updates from the event. 

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Innovation & EducationLatest News

AI in the spotlight at WGS, with attendance from big industry players

by Madaline Dunn
written by Madaline Dunn

One of the key themes at this year’s World Governments Summit 2024 is Artificial Intelligence and the Next Frontiers, with the event hosting more than 100 AI leaders and personalities.

This week, the summit will bring together business owners, experts and other major players in the field of AI, alongside government leaders, with the aim of driving forward solutions to enable governments to keep pace with AI developments, and be fully prepared to deal with its challenges, as well as utilise its potential.

The WGS will host various key government leaders and international organisation officials involved in advanced technology and AI, including HE Dr. Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology in Egypt; Ulvi Mehdiyev, Chairman of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations of Azerbaijan; Mohamed Abdallahi Louly, Minister of Digital Transformation and Innovation of Mauritania; and Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property of United States and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Also present will be the leaders of big AI companies, including Chat GPT developer and CEO of Open AI Sam Altman; Yann LeCun, Vice President and Chief AI Scientist at Meta; Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO of NVIDIA; Jack Hidary, CEO of SandboxAQ; AJ Abdallat, CEO of Beyond Limits; and Werner Vogels, Chief Technology Officer at Amazon.

Alongside this are top experts, CEOs and founders of major AI, advanced technology and smart applications companies, and pioneers of AI integration.

The World Governments Summit agenda features a number of sessions, workshops and side events addressing the various aspects of AI and its applications.

This includes the Artificial Intelligence Forum, which is focused on international cooperation and multi-sector partnerships.

The Forum looks into reaching a global consensus on developing and adopting principles of responsible AI, by launching global dialogues that bring together private and public sector officials.

It also addresses enhancing AI capabilities through the development of education and infrastructure sectors and formulating future policies.

The WGS agenda also features special dialogues with developers of major AI programs, a panel discussion about governments’ ability to keep up in the age of AI, and the role of governments in shaping the future ethics of AI.

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Innovation & EducationLatest News

WGS to host Industry and Advanced Technology Forum

by Madaline Dunn
written by Madaline Dunn

The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), in cooperation with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), is set to host the annual Industry and Advanced Technology Forum at the World Governments Summit (WGS) 2024.

The forum will focus on driving sustainable industrial development, with the aim of facilitating knowledge exchange, strategic partnerships and foresight on technology.

The Industry and Advanced Technology Forum will bring together decision-makers and policy-makers, local, regional and international government and private sector officials to discuss advanced industries, explore the impact of technologies across sectors, and strengthen international partnerships.

During the forum, MoIAT will host three panel discussions.

The first, ‘The Industrial Decarbonization Roadmap post-COP28’, will focus on the key role of international cooperation in accelerating the decarbonisation of industry and supply chains. Also discussed will be financing to support low-carbon sectors.

The session will be held with the participation of His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, His Excellency Ahmed Samir Saleh, Egypt’s Minister of Industry and Trade, His Excellency Mehmet Fatih Kacir, Turkey’s Minister of Industry and Technology, and His Excellency Riad Mazour, Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade.

Later, the ‘Technology Transfer and the Role of International Relations,’ will assess the local and international movement of technologies.

It will focus on the importance of international cooperation in promoting innovation to develop technology solutions and enhance their transfer and exchange, as well as promoting equitable access globally.

The session will be held with the participation of Her Excellency Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, His Excellency Omran Sharaf, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Advanced Sciences and Technology at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and His Excellency Keith Azzopardi Tanti, Malta’s Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation.

The third and final session, titled ‘Quality Infrastructure,’ will focus on the importance of robust quality infrastructure in achieving sustainable industrial development, driving sustainability and facilitating trade.

The session will be held with the participation of Her Excellency Dr. Farah Ali Al Zarooni, Assistant Undersecretary for the Standards and Regulations Sector at MoIAT, Jo Cops, President of the International Electrotechnical Commission, Ciyong Zou, Deputy Director-General and the Managing Director at UNIDO, and Ramy Zaki, CEO of Multinational Companies Business Group.

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DevelopingGovernancePolicy & FinancePolitics

World Government Summit 2024: What’s in store for the week ahead?

by Madaline Dunn
written by Madaline Dunn

Held under the theme of “Shaping Future Governments,” the 11th World Government Summit (WGM) comes amid a complex geopolitical landscape that hasn’t settled following a turbulent 2023. 

With more than 4,000 delegates due to participate in the three-day event, the World Government Summit will bring together decision-makers and thought leaders to assess this challenging landscape, put forward new approaches, ideas and solutions and aim to advance global solidarity.

Located in Dubai, this year’s WGS also takes place in the Year of Sustainability, extended through 2024.

On day zero, ESG Mena runs through the key themes, who will attend, and what you can expect from the week ahead.

Sustainability, AI, global shifts and transformation 

The agenda at this year’s WGS will be centred around six salient and intersecting themes. 

The first, ‘Government Acceleration and Transformation,’ addresses the need for policy to bridge the digital divide amidst rapid technological advancements. 

Indeed, this is a significant issue in the MENA region, and overcoming the barriers to digital inclusion will be in the spotlight throughout the event. 

Artificial Intelligence and The Next Frontiers, meanwhile, will examine the evolving nature of AI, with appearances from the likes of Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. The Middle East is quickly becoming an AI hub, and some projections indicate that by 2030, Generative AI could reach $23.5 billion in economic benefits.

The UAE, where the annual WGS is hosted, in particular, has invested significantly in AI, aiming to position itself as a global leader as part of its economic diversification strategy. 

However, globally, regulation and policy haven’t kept pace with its evolution, and ethical and environmental considerations are yet to receive the attention they deserve. 

With fast-changing economies, ‘Reimagining Development and Future Economies’ is also a central theme at the event and will explore strategies for building resilience. 

‘Future Societies and Education’ will similarly look at prioritising resilience, sustainability and inclusivity, and the connections between societies, education, and technology. 

Indeed, as the world shifts toward a global green economy, there’s a big green skills gap that needs to be filled to realise net-zero goals and transition to a more sustainable world in a fair and equitable manner. 

Sustainability and the New Global Shifts is the fifth theme. Off the back of the COP28 hosted in Dubai and the different pledges and promises made throughout the climate summit, this theme aims to focus governments, businesses, and individuals on their responsibility to implement sustainable practices. 

The sixth and final theme, Urbanisation and Global Health Priorities, will encourage participants to focus on using advancements in sustainable mobility and design innovation to transform cities into futuristic, livable centres of progress.

Today, the importance of nature will come to the fore with a session dubbed ‘No Paris Agreement without Nature.”

In this session, speakers include HE Dr Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak Al Shamsi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment., HE Dr Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt and Ana Toni, Secretary for Climate Change, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Brazil.

Arab Youth will also be a key focus, with sessions on youth experiences in social cohesion, charity work, and preserving the Arabic language. 

Day one will feature sessions on everything from unlocking market finance for development and governments designing and developing sustainable strategies to inclusive governance and the UAE Consensus. 

On day two, AI will be a key highlight, with a session between HE Omar AlOlama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, UAE and Sam Altman, Chief Executive Officer, OpenAI. 

Also in the spotlight will be industrial decarbonisation, featuring HE Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology – UAE and HE Ryad Mezzour, Minister of Industry and Trade, Kingdom of Morocco. Discussions will also be had on SDGs, the future of tech, and green initiatives, among others. 

The final day on Wednesday will again look at AI and skills alongside other technological innovations, urban health frontiers, the future of digital education, and more. 

Hosting 15 global forums & high-level ministerial meetings

Alongside these six key themes, the summit will host over 15 global forums. The Global Health Forum is one of these forums, and will explore the connection between urbanisation and global health, while the Future of Education Forum, organised by the Ministry of Education on 14th February, will examine reshaping learning techniques and honing student skills for the future workplace.

Other forums include the Arab Fiscal Forum, which will see discussions on supporting social and economic development in Arab countries and the Industry and Advanced Technology Forum on emerging trends and technological advancements and their respective impact on various sectors.

Meanwhile, the Geotechnology and Policy Forum will explore the connection between climate, data, and the commercial space industry, featuring three panel discussions and private roundtables organised in partnership between the Atlantic Council and the WGS.

Elsewhere at the summit will be the Knowledge Exchange Forum, the Artificial Intelligence Forum, the Future of Work Forum, the Emerging Economies Forum, the Sustainable Development Goals Forum and many more. 

WGM will also host the Arab Meeting for Young Leaders and the ‘Time 100’ event, of which honourees include Idris Elba, actor, filmmaker, musician and IFAD Goodwill ambassador; Sabrina Dhowre Elba, CEO, model, and activist; Graça Machel, founder, Graça Machel Trust; Jeffrey Katzenberg, media entrepreneur, technology investor and co-founder, WndrCo; and Farwiza Farhan, forest conservationist and founder, HAkA.

Further, the event is set to be attended by 300 ministers from governments around the world and will feature high-level ministerial meetings, which will cover a broad range of areas from climate and health to food security and education. In total, over 23 ministerial meetings and roundtables will be held, with a meeting attended by energy ministers to discuss the future of hydrogen energy.

Over 25 strategic reports are also set to be released during the summit. 

Global award presentation

Several global awards will be presented during the summit. This includes the Best Minister Award, with focus areas spanning:

  • Socio-economic impact,
  • Innovation impact,
  • Resilience and future-ready, and 
  • Good governance and integrity. 

Previous winners include Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, and the Chief Innovation Officer for the Government of Sierra Leone and HE Azucena María Arbeleche, Minister of Economy and Finance, Uruguay.

Other awards include Dubai International for Best Sustainable Development Practices, the Creative Government Innovations Award, and the Global Government Excellence Award.

ESG Mena will be on the ground providing updates, insights and analysis throughout. Stay tuned. 

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