UAE And WEF Extend Strategic Partnership To Boost Public-Private Collaboration

The UAE Government has entered a new phase of strategic partnership with the World Economic Forum, extending long-standing cooperation and strengthening joint work between the public and private sectors. The expanded framework broadens the UAE’s role on World Economic Forum platforms and renews its commitment to convening Global Future Councils as a central forum for designing future policies and industries.

The extension of the partnership was announced during the 56th World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The signing took place in the presence of H.H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, highlighting the importance placed on international collaboration across government, culture and the wider economy.

The agreement was signed by Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Member of the World Economic Forum Leadership Council, and Børge Brende, President and CEO of the World Economic Forum. The ceremony was attended by ministers and officials from the UAE delegation, alongside senior World Economic Forum figures including Larry Fink, interim Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees and co-founder, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock.

Under the renewed strategic partnership, one of the main pillars focuses on deepening public-private partnerships and broadening bilateral cooperation to handle key socio-economic issues. This track includes work on human-centric regulatory frameworks for an era defined by smart technologies, along with efforts to invest in people and build resilience that supports economic stability, especially in emerging markets.

Within this first pillar, the two sides will use Fourth Industrial Revolution centres to speed up the responsible adoption of advanced science and technology. The centres are expected to support innovation that responds to global challenges, including the future of water security, which remains a priority topic for many regions facing climate and resource pressures.

Another central element of the strategic partnership is a renewed commitment to hosting the Global Future Councils for the next five years. The councils will continue serving as a leading international platform that gathers experts, decision makers and futurists from worldwide institutions, enabling them to exchange ideas and shape future-ready industries and long-term policy directions.

UAE Government World Economic Forum strategic partnership platforms

The agreement also reinforces the UAE’s active participation in World Economic Forum platforms at both regional and global levels. This includes sustained engagement in the annual meeting in Davos, the Annual Meeting of the New Champions, and a range of ministerial-level summits that bring together senior government representatives, business leaders and international organisations to discuss global policy priorities.

Mohammad Al Gergawi stated that the partnership between the UAE Government and the World Economic Forum reflects the UAE’s vision, guided by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The vision seeks wider international cooperation and alliances with influential global organisations in sectors that shape future opportunities for governments and societies.

UAE Government World Economic Forum strategic partnership vision

Al Gergawi noted that over two decades, collaboration between the UAE Government and the World Economic Forum has developed into a global movement centred on people and oriented towards the future. Through sustained joint work, the partnership has encouraged innovation across vital sectors, based on a shared belief in integration between governments, international organisations and the private sector, and in the value of knowledge exchange and expertise transfer.

Børge Brende explained that the renewed strategic partnership includes a sustainable global framework designed to explore further future opportunities. The agreement supports greater integration and cooperation to back international efforts aimed at achieving shared objectives and designing comprehensive future plans and strategies that respond to emerging global trends in the economy, society and technology.

The updated partnership highlights growing cooperation between the UAE Government and the World Economic Forum, as both sides seek to unlock future opportunities and support cross-sector synergies. Through expanded public-private collaboration, the partnership aims to contribute to global efforts for a more prosperous and sustainable future, while maintaining a focus on human development, innovation and resilience.

With inputs from WAM