20221027 Elon Musk
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, Twitter and Space X, is expected to join the World Government Summit (WGS) 2023 in Dubai next week. Image Credit: Reuters

Highlights

  • The event will bring together 10,000 international government officials, thought leaders, global experts and decision makers.
  • The summit will host more than 220 sessions, discussing ideas and strategies towards shaping a better future for humanity.

Dubai: Tesla and Twitter CEO Elon Musk is expected to headline the World Government Summit (WGS) 2023 in Dubai as the emirate becomes the centre stage of exchange of ideas and visioning for a world facing numerous challenges.

For three days next week, from February 13 to 15, thousands of leaders, including 20 heads of state, 250 ministers, heads of 80 international, regional and governmental organisations will descend upon the city for WGS 2023 to discuss pressing issues of our time.

Among the speakers expected at the summit is Musk, who is also CEO and founding chief executive and engineer of reusable rocket company Space X. It will be the second time the tech billionaire will be in a conversation with Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of WGS Organisation, since Musk visited Dubai in 2017 for the WGS.

220 sessions

There will be 220 sessions and 300 speakers, 10,000 government officials, thought leaders, celebrities and global experts from around the world who will discuss six key themes as Dubai hosts the region’s biggest gathering of leaders in the post-pandemic world next week.

The six themes to be tackled at WGS:

  • Accelerating development and governance
  • Future of societies and healthcare
  • Exploring the frontiers
  • Governing economic resilience and connectivity
  • Global city design and sustainability; and
  • Prioritising learning and work.

Tackling challenges

International personalities, heads of international organisations and companies, thought leaders, global experts and prominent business leaders from the private sector will discuss global key challenges for the next decade.

Speakers will discuss governments features and experiences, prospects for international cooperation, challenges of sustainable development, climate issues, global finance, the global economy, and the future of health care.

Summit sessions

The Summit will host a main session entitled “Africa: The World’s Next Global Economic Shaper”, during which Macky Sall, President, Republic of Senegal and Chairperson of the African Union will discuss investment prospects in Africa, in light with the abundance of natural resources in this continent.

During a keynote speech, Prithvirajsing Roopun, President of the Republic of Mauritius will review the challenges facing governments in light of the international changes in politics, economy and climate.

He will also refers to the measures taken by his country to develop institutional work, and the role of the government of Mauritius in enhancing development and social stability.

Wavel Ramkalawan, President of the Republic of Seychelles will discuss the importance of international cooperation to protect the environment, reduce emissions, and help the countries most affected by climate change.

Mario Abdo Benítez, President, Republic of Paraguay will highlight the importance of coordinating efforts to achieve the goals of sustainable development strategies.

Partnerships

Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Prime Minister, State of Kuwait will deliver a main address about the importance to develop partnerships between governments worldwide, to achieve development goals.

Also, Najla Bouden, Prime Minister, Republic of Tunisia will participate in a number of sessions, where she will talk about the need of women in government leadership worldwide.

Data-driven decision making

Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister, Kurdistan Region of Iraq will also participate in the summit, where he will discuss the importance of data and how it has become a main factor of the decision-making.

A number of prime ministers will participate in this edition of the summit, including: Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed, Prime Minister, Yemen; Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister, Georgia ;Ali Asadov, Prime Minister, Republic of Azerbaijan; Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister, Republic of Serbia; and Akylbek Japarov, Chariman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Kyrgyz Republic.

For the second time in the World Government Summit, Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, UAE, Chairman, World Government Summit organisation will discuss with Elon Musk, CEO, Twitter and Founder, CEO and Chief Engineer of SpaceX, main issues that concern the world.

State of the World

“The State of the World” is the title of a main session, where the Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum will speak about big changes awaiting the world economy in the future, and how governments can work together to face possible challenges and build a better future for societies.

Also, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva will discuss the challenges of fiscal policy in light with the current economic and financial developments and the role of economic and financial policies in maintaining economic and social stability.

Health, labour

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of World Health Organisation (WHO), will discuss the transitioning to digital health care, as well as uniting efforts to eliminate epidemics and chronic diseases.

During a main session entitled “Future-proofing Labor Markets: Preparing for a Rapidly Changing World”, Gilbert Houngbo, Director General, International Labour Organization (ILO) will speak about the role of governments in shaping the future of labour market, in light with the changing economy and recent technology developments.

Arab journey

Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Arab League Secretary-General will have a key speech during the second day of the summit, during which he will discuss Arab journey towards prosperity and development. He will shed light on how the joint cooperation in the Arab world reflects positively on the readiness of government for the future.

Building partnerships

On the second day of the summit, Jassim Muhammad Al Budaiwi, Secretary General, Gulf Cooperation Council will review the importance of partnership at the level of the governments of the GCC countries, in building talents and benefiting from their capabilities.

Nasser AlHatlan Al Qahtani, Director General of the Arab Organization for Administrative Development, Arab League Organization will highlight the best practices to develop institutional Arab work to help governments achieve their developmental goals.

22 forums

The agenda includes more than 22 international forums focusing on developing policies, strategies and future plans that enhance the readiness and flexibility of governments for the next stage of development.

Interactive dialogue

The World Government Summit 2023 will host a set of interactive dialogue sessions within 6 main themes, including Accelerating Development and Governance, Future of Societies and Healthcare, Exploring the Frontiers, Governing Economic Resilience and Connectivity, Global City Design and Sustainability, and Prioritising Learning and Work.

As part of the WGS, 7 global awards will be presented in appreciation of government ministers, representatives of the private sector, innovators and creators for their exceptional contributions to building a better society for humanity.