World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council gets underway

Dubai: The world is changing fast with a number of challenges facing the mankind that needs to be tackled in order to sustain economic growth worldwide, officials at a global conference in Dubai warned political, economic and social thinkers to prepare the mankind better to face those challenges.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, attended the Plenary Session of the Summit of the Global Agenda Councils where 1,000 thought leaders from 80 countries have gathered to participate in 88 Agenda Councils. Their deliberations will reshape the next year's World Economic Forum, a non-government think-tank established by Professor Klaus Schwab in 1971.

Shaikh Mohammad was also accompanied by Gordon Brown, former British Prime Minister and senior UAE government officials and dignitaries.

"Our world will be completely different in a few years from now. Politically, you will see a new world without clear leadership," Klaus Schwab, told the delegates at the Madinat Jumeirah convention centre.

"You will see a technological explosion of giga/terrabits that will take 400 million people out of employment..."

He said, we need to be prepared for those changes.

Echoing these, Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansoori, UAE Minister of Economy, said, "The intellectual elites need to change their ideas and understand the challenges faced by all of us. The UAE has become a role model for economic diversity and development and human development and we would like to share them with the rest of the world. Our success in economic development allows us to play a greater role in tackling global issues and challenges."

Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said, the Arab Spring has posed serious challenges in the growth and development in the region.