Today's Edition
DUBAI (ALETIHAD)
The next edition of the World Governments Summit will be held from 3-5 February 2026 under the theme ‘Shaping Future Governments’, with record international participation, the largest in the Summit’s history.
Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Governments Summit Organisation, stated that since its inception in 2013, the Summit has undergone a significant transformation in scope and impact. Originally envisioned to enhance governance and anticipate global shifts, the event has evolved in response to growing global challenges.
Al Gergawi noted that the Summit has transitioned from a local gathering into a global nexus for government and private sector leaders, adding that this year’s edition is the largest to date, solidifying the Summit’s position as the world’s premier global governments forum.
Speaking at the World Governments Summit Dialogue, held Friday at the Museum of the Future in Dubai to address the key themes and latest additions to WGS, Al Gergawi said, “Launched in the UAE with a global reach, the World Governments Summit was guided by the leadership’s vision to become a global platform where practical solutions, new ideas and impactful partnerships take shape.
Al Gergawi added, “The World Governments Summit 2026 marks an unprecedented milestone, featuring the largest leadership gathering in its history. The event will convene over 35 heads of state and government alongside a host of government delegations and over 150 governments. These leaders will join a total of more than 6,000 attendees, including prominent thought leaders and global experts.”
He emphasised that the World Governments Summit continues to play an essential role as a premier global platform for transforming public-private cooperation into tangible, real-world impact. This mission is powered by a robust network of more than 70 strategic partners, including world-leading corporations and knowledge institutions.
Al Gergawi stressed that the Summit’s success is tied to these alliances, with every partnership formed and every joint initiative launched serving to refine governance models and strengthen the nation's ability to navigate future challenges.
Among heads of state attending the Summit are King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, King of the Kingdom of Bhutan; Guy Parmelin; President of Switzerland; Daniel Noboa, President of the Republic of Ecuador; Alar Karis, President of the Republic of Estonia; Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, President of North Macedonia; Vjosa Osmani, President of the Republic of Kosovo; and His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait.
Attending heads of government include Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain; Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania; Irakli Kobakhidze, Prime Minister of Georgia; RT. Hon. Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav, Vice President of Nepal; Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of Egypt; Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq; Hon. Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda; Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of Bhutan; Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica; Hon. Edward David Burt, Premier of Bermuda; and Hon. Russell Mmiso Dlamini, Prime Minister of Eswatini.
After hosting a number of Nobel Prize laureates in previous editions, the UAE hosts the World Laureates Summit this year alongside the World Government Summit. Taking place on February 1-2 in collaboration with the World Laureates Association, this largest event of its kind will feature world leading laureates who won global accolades including Nobel Prize, Turing Award, Wolf Prize, Fields Medal, Great Arab Minds, and other major international scientific honours.
Notable attendees include Michael Levitt (2013 Nobel in Chemistry), Steven Chu (1997 Nobel in Physics), Kip Thorne (2017 Nobel in Physics), Yoshua Bengio (2018 Turing Award), and John Hopcroft (1986 Turing Award).
Over the course of two days, these laureates will collaborate to provide scientific solutions to the major challenges facing governments, with the outcomes of their discussions to be announced during the World Governments Summit.
This year’s edition features an extensive agenda including 24 global forums, 35 ministerial and high-level meetings that will convene over 500 ministers. The Summit will issue 36 strategic reports in collaboration with its international knowledge partners.
Strategic Dialogues
This year’s edition will feature strategic dialogues on the future of vital sectors, such as governance, technology, aviation, logistics, tourism, global trade, and investment. The sessions will be attended by world-leading CEOs from these industries, including the Chairman and Co-Founder of Alibaba, CEO of Airbus, CEO of IBM, Chairperson of CATL, CEO of Ericsson, CEO of Waymo, CEO of SambaNova, CEO of Colossal Biosciences, CEO of Hugo Boss, Tucker Carlson, CEO of Rakuten, CEO of BlackBerry, Executive VP of BYD, COO of Google DeepMind, CEO and Managing Director of Tech Mahindra, CEO of M-PESA Africa, Founder and COO of Canva, Chair of Japan’s Narita Airport, CEO of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, CEO of Kempinski, President of Global Operations at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, and Co-President of Valor.
CEOs of global media corporations and founders of media platforms will also be attending the Summit.
The upcoming edition of the World Governments Summit has significantly evolved in terms of the scale and impact of global participation. By convening heads of state and governments from across every continent, the Summit serves as a pivotal global crossroads. Through an expansive agenda that spans a broad spectrum of vital sectors, the event is set to shape future trends and accelerate the development and progress of societies worldwide.
The Summit will host over 100 international and regional organisations as well as global and academic institutions, and a host of international organisation leaders including Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF); Mathias Cormann, Secretary General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD); Makhtar Diop, Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC); Jasem Al Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Council Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf; Fahad Al Turki, Director General and Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF); Abdulhamid AlKhalifa, President of OPEC Fund; and Ousmane Dione, Vice President for the MENA region at the World Bank among others.
The Summit’s agenda highlights several key themes including: Global Governance and Effective Leadership; Societal Wellbeing and Building Capacities; Economic Prosperity and Strategic Investments; Urban Future and Evolving Demographics; Future Realities and Emerging Frontiers.
The Summit will host more than 320 sessions featuring over 450 global figures, including presidents, ministers, experts, thought leaders and decision makers.
The World Governments Summit 2026 will feature over 35 ministerial and high-level meetings, bringing together sector ministers and global CEOs. Key sessions include the Arab Fiscal Forum, the Arab Youth Ministers roundtable, and the Global Councils on SDGs. Additional ministerial discussions will focus on next-generation governments, as well as the future of retail, sports, and tourism.
The Summit will also host specialised forums organised by international governments, including a high-level meeting by the Government of Uzbekistan; the New Ecuador Forum (attended by the President of Ecuador); a bilateral dialogue on AI with Kazakhstan and South Korea, and the Kuwait-UAE Economic Forum.
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Several strategic meetings and conferences by international organisations will be held during the Summit this year. These include the high-level Investment Roundtable for Latin America & the Caribbean in collaboration with IFC; the Arab Public Administration Forum; the 10th International Cooperation Conference (ACS) Roundtable; a closed session on Leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Enhancing Countries’ Preparedness in collaboration with IMF; the Future of Aviation Roundtable in partnership with ICAO; the OECD-EU High Level Dialogue; and the Latin American Center for Development Administration (CLAD) Governing Board High-Level Meeting.
The World Governments Summit agenda features 24 specialised global forums dedicated to anticipating future trends across vital sectors. The forums aim to develop innovative solutions that enhance these industries and improve the quality of life for communities worldwide. Featured forums include the Artificial Intelligence Forum; Geotechnology and Policy Forum in collaboration with Atlantic Council; the Global Logistics Dialogue; the New Silk Road Forum; the Government Experience Exchange Forum; the Future of Education Forum; the Emerging Economies Forum; the Global Health Forum; the Future of Mobility Forum; the Government Services Forum; the Sustainability Impact Forum; the Global Dialogue for Impact; and the Global Government Regulations and Justice Forum.
The forums will feature the participation of prominent private sector leaders and experts from technology and AI, aviation and travel, international trade, e-commerce, investment and sovereign funds, new media and the content industry, including CEOs , executives and founders of Dubai Airports, Emirates, Latam Airlines Group, TAP Portugal, KLM, Six Flags, 25hours Hotels, EHL Hospitality Business School, Bloomberg Media, Euro News, AFP, India Today Group, Semafor, Axios, Rest of World platform, Monocle, McGill University, Arizona State University, Southern California University, Sunway University, Oxford, Hong Kong University and IMD among others.
As part of its mission to champion innovation and excellence in public service, the World Governments Summit will once again honour global success stories and pioneering governance through four prestigious awards. This year’s honours include the Best Minister Award, presented in partnership with PwC; the Most Reformed Government Global Award in collaboration with EY; the Dubai International Best Practices Award for Sustainable Development, held in collaboration with UN-Habitat and Dubai Municipality; and as well as the Global Teacher Prize, in partnership with the Varkey Foundation.
