WGS24: Key global summit kicks off in Dubai under the theme ‘Shaping Future Governments’

Dubai is hosting the 11th edition of the annual World Government Summit (WGS) from February 12 to 14, inviting participation from heads of state and governments, over 80 organisations, 120 governmental delegations and a selection of thought leaders and experts.

For the past 10 years, the annual event has always received notable attention. That is to be expected as some of the brightest, most accomplished minds across diverse fields assemble every year to talk about the most pressing issues on the global agenda.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed said yesterday: “The World Government Summit is the UAE’s responsible invitation to the whole world, to join the dialogue, share knowledge and invest in new ideas and creative energies,” according to The National.

WGS24 kicks off under theme ‘Shaping Future Governments’

The conference is once again providing a platform and a meeting place for some of the leading thinkers to discuss developments in fields as varied as AI, education, energy, finance, creativity, transport, smart mobility and the various challenges and solutions in those fields.

This year’s theme, Shaping Future Governments, is appropriate because of a number of critical national elections being held in 2024 and for what a post-war scenario in the besieged Gaza Strip would look like. Today’s many challenges require a trusted platform, like this one.

WGS 2024’s guests of honour include Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who last year told the Summit he would not forget the notable international humanitarian response to the destructive earthquake that hit his country and neighbouring Syria.

Multilateralism at the heart of World Government Summit

Erdogan had stressed the role of international solidarity. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani are the other guests of honour, and will be among more than 25 world leaders at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah.

Multilateralism and joint work to address cross-border challenges is at the heart of the annual event. There will be participants from the UN, the International Monetary Fund, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Health Organisation and the Arab League.

In addition, the chief executives of some of the biggest technology firms across the globe will also participate. For the public too, there is a chance to listen to the speakers and learn. Several of the discussions are recorded and accessible on social media.