World Governments Summit Hosts Ambassadors' Retreat To Enhance Global Collaboration And Governance

Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Governments Summit, highlighted a crucial moment for humanity. He stressed the need for governments to act swiftly and proactively to turn challenges into opportunities. His comments were made during the Ambassadors’ Retreat, an event organised by the World Governments Summit Foundation alongside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Retreat brought together over 100 ambassadors and diplomatic mission leaders in the UAE. They discussed enhancing global cooperation to shape future governments. Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future, and Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, were also present.

Al Gergawi stated that under the guidance of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and directives from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the World Governments Summit has become a key platform for international collaboration. It aims to anticipate future trends and enable governments to devise proactive solutions for pressing global issues.

He emphasised that the Ambassadors’ Retreat serves as an annual forum for exchanging ideas and strengthening international ties. This gathering highlights the essential role ambassadors play in expanding partnerships and contributing to the Summit's success as a major global government assembly.

Reflecting on its journey since 2013, Al Gergawi noted that the Summit has hosted over 100 heads of state and government from 140 countries. It has featured more than 3,070 speakers and attracted over 48,000 participants. Through its platforms, over 100 MoUs and bilateral agreements have been signed.

The Summit is recognised as a leading global platform for sharing government expertise. Its specialised forums facilitate cooperation between nations and promote future-oriented strategies to build advanced societies.

International Contributions and Recognition

Al Gergawi highlighted significant international contributions from events like Brazil's ministerial forum on digital transformation and a U.S. workshop on AI governance. The Summit has reached millions globally through media partnerships, achieving nearly one billion media impressions.

The Best Minister in the World Award is now a prominent international accolade recognising government leaders' achievements in community service.

Challenges Facing Governments

The Global Ministers Survey launched last year with PwC revealed several challenges: 74% of governments need more financial resources to build capacity; 68% struggle with talent retention; over 30 governments are not adequately prepared for future demands.

These findings call for collective action to transform challenges into opportunities. Al Gergawi praised ambassadors for their role in expanding participation and strengthening strategic partnerships.

Future Plans for WGS

Looking forward, Al Gergawi announced that WGS 2026 will feature over 200 sessions, launch 15 strategic reports, host more than 400 speakers, and involve over 80 international organisations. The event will welcome more than 6,000 leaders from various sectors worldwide.

The Summit will introduce new tracks aimed at deeper cooperation among governments. In partnership with Ecuador's government, it will host the second Economic and Investment Forum initiated by Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa.

Interactive Dialogues at the Retreat

The Retreat included interactive dialogues such as "Programmable Sovereignty: What’s at Stake?" led by Professor Soumitra Dutta from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School. Discussions focused on navigating digital landscapes while maintaining competitiveness and digital trust.

A high-level dialogue titled "Redefining Trade Diplomacy" explored adapting trade strategies in a competitive global economy. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi participated in this session moderated by Dubai Abulhoul from Fiker Institute.

Diplomacy in Action

An additional dialogue titled "Diplomacy in Action: Collaborative Pathways for a Shared Future" examined international cooperation's role in addressing systemic challenges. Dr. Samir Saran from ORF and Rashid Sesay from Sierra Leone participated under Dubai Abulhoul’s moderation.

This session underscored innovative diplomatic frameworks fostering trust while enabling credible markets across regions like Global South.

Global Ministers Survey Presentation

The Retreat concluded with presenting findings from an annual Global Ministers Survey conducted by WGS Organisation aiming at capturing ministers' perspectives on governance challenges today.

Reem Baggash along with Shakira Abi-Akinoteh presented survey objectives highlighting its importance fostering stronger governmental collaborations supporting effective policy designs aligned with global development priorities.

Networking Breakfast Initiative

The Partners’ Networking Breakfast convened senior leaders from partner institutions across various sectors including technology finance trade tourism real estate mobility logistics education energy healthcare urban planning media research consultancy among others reinforcing collective action towards better futures through collaboration partnership-building initiatives showcased latest projects perspectives gathered regarding upcoming editions too!

With inputs from WAM