DUBAI - The World Government Summit (WGS) 2023 is set to kick off tomorrow, 13th February, with the participation of 20 presidents, over 250 ministers, and 10,000 businessmen, government officials, thought leaders and global experts from around the globe.

The Summit will explore a variety of future opportunities and challenges, with the aim of developing strategic plans and seeking creative solutions to guide global policies.

With the agenda set to last until 15th February, the Summit will bring together 300 speakers from heads of states, ministers, government officials and thought leaders to discuss pressing issues and review current and future challenges in more than 220 panel discussions.

The WGS 2023 agenda features more than 22 international forums that will review the most prominent future trends in vital sectors. It will also host a set of interactive dialogue sessions within six main themes, including: Future of Societies and Healthcare, Governing Economic Resilience and Connectivity, Prioritising Learning and Work, Accelerating Development and Governance, Exploring the Frontiers, and Global City Design and Sustainability.

This year’s edition presents seven global awards to include: the Best Minister Award; the Edge of Government Award; Shaping Future Governments: Global Universities Challenge; the World Data Visualisation Prize; the M-Gov Award.

Leaders and Presidents

The World Government Summit will see the participation of 20 presidents, including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who will address the first day of the summit, and Mario Abdo Benitez, President of Paraguay, who will deliver a keynote speech on the importance of cooperation among governments around the world.

On the second day, Prithvirajsing Roopun, President of Mauritius, will give a speech, while Macky Sall, President of Senegal and Chairperson of the African Union, will participate in a main session that will review the promising opportunities in the African continent. Wavel Ramkalawan, President of Seychelles, will discuss the impact of climate change, and Faustin-Archange Touadéra, President of the Republic of the Central African Republic, will highlight the measures required to enhance community developments for a brighter future.

Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia, will deliver a speech on the third day of the WGS, addressing the Indonesian experience in government excellence and the recent measures that the government implemented to develop institutional performance.

Ras Al Khaimah... the past, the present and Future

The Summit will host a keynote and a dialogue entitled “Ras Al Khaimah... the past, the present and Future”, during which H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, will review the emirate’s vision, its key achievements in various sectors, and directions toward the future.

Fujairah Strategic Outlook
H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, will deliver a keynote speech titled “Fujairah Strategic Outlook”, which will review the programs and features of development in the Emirate, and the role played by government institutions to develop services and improve the quality of life. He will also shed light on the most important achievements of the comprehensive objectives vision 2040 set for Fujairah.

The Emirates ... A Family of Firm Roots and Future Prospects
H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, will also address a key session titled "The Emirates ... A Family of Firm Roots and Future Prospects", which will focus on the long-standing values of the UAE society, the unity of its people since the country’s inception, and how it contributes to building a strong state that has established an influential status on the world map.

Heads of States
The Summit will also witness the participation of several prominent heads of states including H.H. Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Prime Minister of Kuwait, who will deliver a keynote address on the importance of developing partnerships among governments worldwide to achieve development goals.

Najla Bouden, Prime Minister of Tunisia, will participate in several sessions, speaking in a keynote session about the prospects for improving the performance of official institutions in Tunisia. Other heads of states who will also participate in this year’s edition include Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed, Prime Minister of Yemen; Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government; Ali Asadov, Prime Minister of Azerbaijan; Akylbek Japarov, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Kyrgyz Republic; Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia; Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania; Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia.

A Changing World System

The WGS will be inaugurated by Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the WGS Organisation, with a session titled “10 Years of Transformation”. He will also participate in several sessions, including a panel discussion with Elon Musk, CEO of Twitter, SpaceX and Tesla, where the entrepreneur will shed light on the future of the Twitter platform after his acquisition. Al Gergawi will also participate in a session entitled “Governments and the Changing World Order”, with Ray Dalio, Founder of Bridgewater Associates.

Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and President-Designate of COP28, will participate in a main session titled “The Path Towards Conference of the Parties COP28”, where will talk about the UAE's preparations to host the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, and Managing Director of the WGS Organisation, will participate in a key session titled "How Do Governments Create Balance between Enabling Innovation and Technology Governance?".

Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, will speak in a key session entitled "The End of Globalization or a New Beginning for It?" with Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and Ghassan Salameh, Dean of the Paris Institute of International Affairs, and Founding Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs.

The sessions will witness the participation of Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum; Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala GCON, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation; Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation; Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Arab League Secretary-General; Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, Chairman, Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group; and Jasem Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for the Arab States.

The summit will also host a group of Nobel Prize winning scientists including economist Esther Duflo and chemist Dr. Roger Kornberg.

Dr. Hala Al-Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development of the Arab Republic of Egypt, will deliver a speech in a session entitled "Unleashing the creative energies and design capabilities of government leaders".