Emirati ministers reaffirm that the World Summit of Governments will be key to understanding the future
The next World Summit of Governments (WGS) will be held on 29-30 March in the United Arab Emirates, and already experts are saying that the economy will take a very different path from it. During the WGS Dialogue, organised within the Dubai Museum of the Future, the country's ministers have already begun to comment on the relevance of this event and have confirmed that it will be an "unprecedented" fair. Its celebration, they say, will be key to understanding what direction to take for the next 50 years.
For two days, in the city of Dubai, the event will cover topics as diverse in the economy as the world of cryptocurrencies, the metaverse or even energy and renewable energies, or even highlight areas of society such as gender equality and youth that will be fundamental to understanding what the future of the nation will be.
The energy transition is one of the main points to be discussed in the attempt to find a solution to improve the climate change situation. According to Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed al-Jaber, Director of the WGS Foundation, the UAE has been using clean and renewable energy resources in its energy mix for more than 15 years. He also reaffirms that it is one of the leading countries that focuses its energy production through oil and gas, so an energy mix of these with renewables is a step on the road to de-pollution.
"The World Government Summit provides an important platform for dialogue on key issues, challenges and opportunities that shape the future of government. The upcoming eighth edition puts sustainability at the heart of the agenda and will be held in conjunction with the Atlantic Council's World Energy Forum, advancing the global energy dialogue. We look forward to convening world leaders and policy makers in the summer," said Al-Jaber.
The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic will also be addressed. The intention is to prevent the mistakes made in recent years that have been carried out in an attempt to save the world's economies. To this end, the aim is to discuss the improvement of the digital sector and the Internet, as well as the use of artificial intelligence to prevent another catastrophe like the coronavirus.
The Ministry of Economy stresses that the growth of new industries, as well as the focus on doubling the size of the national economy by 2030 and making the UAE a leading country for investment, is part of the forum's objectives. "The Global Government Summit will cover key topics such as global growth prospects with a focus on emerging markets, industry transformations, next-generation financial technology, digital assets, digital assets, sustainable finance, green investment, VR technologies, agri-tech and healthcare, creative industries and much more" commented Abdulla bin Touq al-Marr, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change.
Gender equality will be an ongoing debate during the meeting. The presence of women in government is less numerous than that of men and the World Bank reports that women hold less than 30% of senior positions in government, and in the case of women ministers, it stands at 21%. 50 women government leaders have confirmed their presence at the forum who will be tasked with encouraging women to close the inequality gap and promote work within the public sector.
The aspirations and future of youth are at the heart of the Gulf country's concerns. To address the situation, several platforms are being created to promote studies and ensure a better future for the younger generation, such as the Arab Youth Centre. This will promote opportunities and create jobs for youth in various economic fields. At the same time, they will have a voice in issues where their presence is not usually considered important
