More than 30 heads of state to gather in Dubai as World Governments Summit 2025 expects record participation

[Deeq A.]

More than 30 heads of state to gather in Dubai as World Governments Summit 2025 expects record participation

The 12th edition of the World Governments Summit (WGS) will take place in Dubai from February 11-13 under the theme ‘Shaping Future Governments’. Record international participation, the largest in WGS history, is expected this year.

This year’s Summit will host over 30 heads of state and government, over 80 international organisations, 140 government delegations, and more than 6,000 participants, including leading global experts.

Attendance has increased by over 50% 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.

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.
Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Governments Summit Organisation, said 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 and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, WGS has, over the past 12 years, become the world’s largest and most influential forum for governments.

Speaking at the World Governments Summit Dialogue, held on Wedesday 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.”

The expanded agenda features 21 global forums exploring future trends across 200-plus interactive sessions, addressed by over 300 prominent figures. More than 30 ministerial meetings and roundtables will convene 400-plus ministers, culminating in the release of 30 strategic reports developed with the Summit’s international knowledge partners.

World leaders

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; Mohammad Younus, Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

Top officials

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.

Business leaders

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 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.

Six themes

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.

High-level talks

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.

100 most influential people in AI

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.

30 reports

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.

Awards

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.

Qaran News