The World Governments Summit Organization has revealed the details of the agenda for the upcoming edition of the Summit, which will take place in Dubai from February 3 to 5, under the theme “Shaping Future Governments.” The agenda has been designed to keep pace with major global transformations and the rapid developments across vital sectors, within a comprehensive foresight-driven vision that identifies key challenges and opportunities, and contributes to enhancing the role of governments worldwide in reinforcing the foundations of sustainable development for societies.
The World Governments Summit, which brings together more than 6,250 participants including decision-makers, intellectuals, and experts, aims to formulate shared visions and strategies to advance government work and strengthen cooperation among governments around the world. It also seeks to develop practical and effective solutions to mounting global challenges, through a diverse agenda that includes broad dialogues and in-depth discussions to assess current global and regional conditions, and to create new frameworks that enable governments to fulfill their evolving roles in a rapidly changing world.
The World Governments Summit 2026 will witness the largest leadership participation in its history, bringing together more than 60 heads of state and government and their deputies, over 500 ministers, and representatives from more than 150 governments, in addition to an elite group of global thought leaders and experts, with participation exceeding 6,250 attendees from across the globe.
More than 445 sessions will be held, with over 450 global figures speaking, including presidents, ministers, experts, thinkers, and decision-makers. In addition, more than 700 chief executive officers from major international corporations and institutions will take part, along with 87 Nobel Prize-winning scientists and recipients of other prestigious scientific awards. More than 80 international and regional organizations, as well as global and academic institutions, will also participate.
The Summit will enjoy extensive media coverage, with the participation of more than 840 international, regional, and local journalists, in addition to over 44 media partners.
Five Main Pillars
The agenda of the World Governments Summit 2026 focuses on five main pillars:
Global governance and effective leadership, societal wellbeing and human capabilities, economic prosperity and emerging opportunities, the future of cities and demographic shifts, and future horizons and upcoming opportunities.
The Summit will also host a number of meetings and forums organized by governments from various parts of the world. In addition, 36 strategic reports will be issued in collaboration with international knowledge partners from think tanks and academic and research institutions. These reports aim to study global trends across different sectors and provide actionable government strategies.
This year’s Summit agenda includes the third edition of the Global Ministers Survey, which aims to gather the views of ministers from around the world on the most pressing international issues. The survey will support governments in defining development priorities, shaping public policies, and developing more effective solutions to global challenges.
Global Awards
In its current edition, the Summit will present four global awards:
- The Best Minister in the World Award, in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers;
- The Global Award for the Most Advanced Government, in collaboration with Ernst & Young;
- The Dubai International Best Practices Award for Sustainable Development, in partnership with UN-Habitat and Dubai Municipality;
- The Global Teacher Prize, in partnership with the Varkey Foundation.
An Influential Role
His Excellency Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Governments Summit, affirmed that the new edition of the Summit is attracting the largest leadership participation in its history, due to the growing importance it holds for governments around the world. He noted that the Summit has become a global platform for anticipating the future and enhancing preparedness and proactiveness, in line with the vision of the United Arab Emirates’ leadership to strengthen the country’s influential role in building stronger bonds of international solidarity and cooperation, which contributes to the continued advancement of human civilization.
His Excellency stated:
“The world today is not merely undergoing transient transformations, but is witnessing a comprehensive reshaping of traditional systems. In facing the challenges of this new global era, governments need greater agility and must not rely on waiting or merely reacting. Today, the world’s governments are in urgent need of inclusive spaces for joint international cooperation, which is being truly tested by the crises we are currently witnessing. This further underscores the growing significance of the World Governments Summit as a global platform that contributes to enhancing collaboration, collective action, and joint thinking to generate innovative ideas that ensure continued stability and prosperity.”
Pre-Summit Day
The activities of the Pre-Summit Day of the World Governments Summit 2026 will commence on Monday, February 2, with the convening of the UAE–Kuwait Economic Forum, the Arab Public Finance Forum, the Latin America and Caribbean Investment Forum, the Arab Youth Leaders Meeting, and the Arab Youth Leaders Forum, in addition to several other forums held as part of the Global Scientists Summit.
A number of ministerial and high-level meetings will also take place, including the Ministerial Meeting of Labor Ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Ministerial Meeting of Arab Youth Ministers, the AI Transformation Acceleration Dialogue, the CEO Dialogue in cooperation with the Atlantic Council, and the Artificial Intelligence Council in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology.
Day Two
The second day of the World Governments Summit 2026 will feature keynote speeches from a number of prominent leaders and officials, most notably His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait; Her Excellency Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, President of the Republic of North Macedonia; and Her Excellency Dilma Rousseff, President of the New Development Bank. In addition, dialogue sessions will be held with His Excellency Dr. Patrick Herminie, President of the Republic of Seychelles; His Excellency Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt; and His Excellency Calixto Ortega Sánchez, Vice President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
The second day will also include a number of key sessions, among them a session titled “The Future of Communication Beyond Human Boundaries,” featuring Aza Raskin, Co-Founder and President of the Earth Species Project. Another session, titled “Can Governments Keep Up with Human Imagination?”, will include Ben Lamm, Co-Founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences.
The day will also feature a session titled “What Will the Human Form Look Like in the Next 50 Years?”, with the participation of Tom Hale, CEO of Oura; Serfjan Ozcan, Vice President of Design and Concepts at Nike; and Noland Arbaugh, the first volunteer to receive a Neuralink brain implant.
Another session titled “The Experience Economy: Lessons for Governments” will be held, featuring His Excellency Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda; His Excellency Milojko Spajić, Prime Minister of the Republic of Montenegro; along with Daniel Grieder, CEO of Hugo Boss; Benjamin Vuchot, CEO of Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels; and Odell Beckham Jr., American football player.
A session titled “Where Is Artificial Intelligence Headed?” will also be held, moderated by His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, and Vice Chairman of the World Governments Summit. He will be joined by Joseph Tsai, Co-Founder and Chairman of Alibaba Group; and Chamath Palihapitiya, Founder and Managing Partner of Social Capital.
The Summit will also feature a presidential session titled “Will the Next Decade Be African?”, with the participation of His Excellency Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone; His Excellency Duma Gideon Boko, President of the Republic of Botswana; and His Excellency Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
Additional dialogue sessions will be held, including one titled “The Next Chapter for Latin America… What’s Next?”, with the participation of His Excellency Daniel Noboa, President of the Republic of Ecuador; and His Excellency Santiago Peña Palacios, President of the Republic of Paraguay.
Another session titled “How Do Government Policies Shape the Future of Investment in Africa?” will include the participation of Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania; His Excellency João Manuel Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola; His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana; and Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group.
The Summit will also host a session titled “What’s the Next Destination for Aviation 2.0?”, with the participation of His Excellency Toshiyuki Otoma, President of the International Civil Aviation Organization; and Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline.
In a main session titled “What Is the Role of Culture in Shaping the Future of Humanity?”, speakers will include His Excellency Dr. Khaled El-Enany, Director-General of UNESCO; and His Excellency Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture.
Another session titled “Towards the United Nations Water Conference 2026… A Forward-Looking Perspective” will also be held, featuring His Excellency Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Gaye, Minister of Water and Sanitation of the Republic of Senegal; His Excellency Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs; and His Excellency Abdullah Ahmed Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, United Arab Emirates.
Day Two Forums
The second day will also witness the organization of a number of specialized forums, most notably:
The Global Forum on Government Legislation and Justice, the Technology and Policy Forum, the Arab Government Administration Forum, the Future Economy Forum, the Government Services Forum, the Future Mobility Forum, the New Silk Road Forum, the Impact for Sustainability Forum, and the Future of Education Forum.
The second day will begin with the Global Forum on Government Legislation and Justice, which includes key sessions such as:
- States in an Era of Transformation: From Legislative Reform to Reinvention.
- A Journey Behind the Scenes of Legislation and the Path to Swift Justice.
- Who Owns Innovation Tomorrow?
- The Rule of Law in the Digital Age.
The second day will also include the Arab Government Administration Forum, which will discuss critical topics such as:
- Artificial Intelligence in the Arab World: A Historic Opportunity or a New Divide?
- Towards Arab Governance for the Future.
- AI Applications in Arab Government Administration.
in addition to the launch of the AI Governance and Digital Transformation Initiative in public sector work.
Day Three
The third and final day of the World Governments Summit 2026 will feature a dialogue session with His Excellency Mokhtar Ould Ajay, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.
The final day will cover a number of important themes, including:
- The Role of Governments in Demographic Transformation.
- How Can Cities Preserve Their Human Identity?
- What Is the World Watching Today?
- The Digital Future… Who Is Shaping It?
- The Transformation of the Energy Sector Driven by AI.
A key session titled “How Do Nations Create Success Today… What Is the Secret Behind Their Rise?” will feature the participation of His Excellency Đuro Mačuć, Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, and Her Excellency Evika Siliņa, Prime Minister of Latvia.
The third day will also include a keynote address by Lieutenant General His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior.
Day Three Meetings and Themes
The final day of the Summit will include a number of meetings and roundtable discussions, including:
A Roundtable on the Future of the Digital Economy, a Roundtable on the Future of Electronic Gaming, a Roundtable on Emerging Economies, a High-Level Meeting on Shaping Future Governments, and a Meeting on the Future of Government Human Resources in the Age of AI.
Under the Government Reform track, several dialogue sessions will be held, including:
- Work Reform in the Age of AI.
- How Do Citizens’ Opinions Influence Government Effectiveness?
- Zero Bureaucracy… Reshaping the Global Perception of Governments.
Under the Future of Health track, sessions will include:
- How Governments Create Better Quality of Life.
- When Technology Redefines Quality of Life.
- Investment in Biotechnology.
- What Is Driving Progress in Modern Medicine.
As part of the Future of Energy and Industries track, the agenda will feature a keynote speech by His Excellency Salemsay Kommasith, Deputy Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, alongside sessions discussing energy transitions and the industries of the future.
