World Governments Summit 2025: A platform for shaping future governments

Dubai once again demonstrated its importance as a global center for governance and policymaking by successfully hosting the 2025 World Government Summit (WGS) from February 11th to 13th, themed "Shaping Future Governments." This summit brought together global wisdom to jointly explore future development directions.

This year's World Government Summit attracted an unprecedented number of participants, including more than 30 heads of state and government, over 80 international organizations, 140 government delegations, and over 6,000 attendees. The summit became an important platform for global dignitaries and experts to exchange ideas and discuss development plans.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in welcoming international guests, stated, "The World Government Summit provides a global platform for dialogue and the exchange of visions and ideas. Today's society urgently needs coordinated collaborative efforts to address challenges that cannot be solved alone." He emphasized the importance of global cooperation, calling for a joint response to challenges.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, pointed out that the World Government Summit is an important global platform: "The growing international participation consolidates the World Government Summit's position as the primary global forum for governments, at a critical moment of transformation and historical change." He emphasized the summit's crucial role in promoting global dialogue and fostering common development.

Numerous prominent figures attended this summit, including President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto, Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, Chief Advisor of the Caretaker Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh Mohammad Yunus, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Ahmed Aboul Gheit, OPEC Secretary-General Haitham Al Ghais, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jassim Al-Budaiwi, CEO of Google Sundar Pichai, Chairman of the Board of Alibaba Group Joe Tsai, and Co-founder, Chairman, and CTO of Oracle Corporation Larry Ellison.

At the heart of the 2025 World Government Summit were discussions on some of the world's most pressing issues. This year's summit set six core themes: Effective Governance and Accountability, Future of Finance and Global Economy, Climate Crisis Mitigation, Human-Centric Future, Global Health Transformation, and Emerging Frontiers. These themes encompass the major challenges and opportunities facing the world today.

During the three-day event, the World Government Summit hosted 21 global forums, over 200 interactive sessions, and more than 30 ministerial meetings. The agenda included the Future of Work Forum, Government Experience Exchange Forum, Government Services Forum, Future Government Communication Forum, Artificial Intelligence Forum, Future Education Forum, Future Transportation Forum, and Gender Balance Forum. These forums provided participants with platforms for in-depth exchange and discussion.

The Climate Change Forum served as a collaborative platform, bringing together scientists, policymakers, innovators, and experts to address the urgent challenges of climate change. The fifth Global Health Forum, held in collaboration with the World Health Organization, was also a highlight. This forum emphasized global health priorities and promoted innovation to shape the future of healthcare and community well-being. These events aim to promote global cooperation and development in relevant fields.

During the 2025 World Government Summit, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also attended the fourth Arab Youth Leaders Meeting, which focused on youth empowerment, innovation, and industrial development in the Arab world. He is the Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, and Minister of Defence. The meeting highlighted the important role of youth in driving regional development.

Concurrently, the ninth Arab Fiscal Forum, jointly organized by the UAE Ministry of Finance, the Arab Monetary Fund, and the International Monetary Fund, brought together global financial leaders to discuss economic resilience, focusing on debt vulnerabilities, subsidy reforms, and tax administration efficiency. The forum aimed to strengthen regional financial cooperation and jointly address economic challenges.

In addition, a roundtable co-hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce explored the important role of family businesses in economic sustainability. With 70% of global GDP and 60% of employment related to family businesses, discussions covered governance, sustainable development strategies, and leadership transitions to the next generation. The meeting emphasized the critical role and challenges faced by family businesses in economic development.

Leadership development remained a key focus, with Sheikh Hamdan also attending the graduation ceremony of a leadership capacity-building program, recognizing young professionals in governance, cybersecurity, and aviation. The ceremony aimed to encourage and support the next generation of leaders, preparing them for future development.

In addition to panel discussions and bilateral meetings, the 2025 World Government Summit served as a platform for the release of important reports. These included the "2025 Arab Region SDG Index and Dashboard Report," which assessed the progress of Arab countries in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Developed in collaboration with the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the report provides a crucial roadmap for regional governments seeking to bridge development gaps. The report provides an important reference for regional development.

Meanwhile, PwC Middle East released papers on global trade resilience, value-based healthcare, and biodiversity conservation. Their findings highlighted the urgency of integrating technology into governance, with a particular focus on the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in policymaking. These reports underscored the important role of technological innovation in driving sustainable development and improving governance.

These reports are in addition to the World Government Summit and PwC's global ministerial survey, which was first launched last year. At this event, the second edition of the survey was released, again inviting ministers from around the world to participate and share their insights on key global issues. The survey aims to gather the perspectives of global leaders to inform policy making.

During the event, the World Government Summit also presented awards to recognize outstanding governance efforts. One of the most anticipated moments of the 2025 World Government Summit was the presentation of the Best Minister Award, which was awarded to Anxious Masuka, the Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs of Zimbabwe. At the same time, the Global Teacher Prize by GEMS Education was awarded to Saudi teacher Mansour Al-Mansour, who received $1 million. The awards aim to recognize individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions in their respective fields.

In addition, the Global Government Excellence Awards recognized outstanding initiatives, such as the Ubongo digital education program from Africa and a pioneering recycling project from Cascais, Portugal. These awards aim to encourage innovation and promote best practices, contributing to global development.

Commenting on this year's World Government Summit, Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Government Summit Organization, said: "The 12th World Government Summit witnessed the strengthening of intergovernmental partnerships and the exchange of best practices, which played a crucial role in shaping comprehensive government strategies, policies and visions. These initiatives not only promote the work of governments, but also promote sustainable development and make tangible contributions to the prosperity of society." The summit was a complete success, laying a solid foundation for future development.

The next World Government Summit will be held from February 3rd to 6th, 2026. We look forward to the next summit bringing together more wisdom and contributing more to global development.