Policymakers, Thought Leaders Gather At WGS 2024 Continuing Quest For Breakthrough Solutions To Challenges Of Tomorrow

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."

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