The UAE will continue to host the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Councils for another five years, after launching a new phase of its strategic partnership with the WEF at the annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
The renewed agreement strengthens a collaboration that has spanned more than two decades and cements the UAE’s role as a global hub for dialogue on future governance, emerging technology and economic development, Wam reported on Thursday.
The renewed agreement was signed in the presence of senior UAE officials and Borge Brende, president and chief executive of the WEF. Under the partnership, the UAE will host the Global Future Councils until 2031. The councils bring together international experts from government, business and academia to anticipate global trends and shape policy in response to future challenges.
Deepening co-operation
Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and a member of the WEF Leadership Council, said the extended partnership reflects the UAE’s long-term vision to enhance international co-operation and develop innovative solutions to global issues.
“The relationship between the UAE government and the World Economic Forum has evolved into a global movement with people at its heart and the future as its destination,” he said.
The new phase of co-operation will focus on strengthening public-private partnerships, developing human-centric regulatory frameworks for emerging technology and supporting economic resilience in developing and emerging markets.
Mr Brende said the partnership would prioritise collaboration in the “Intelligent Age”, including the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence, science and technology, and efforts to address global challenges such as water security and economic stability.
The agreement builds on a series of initiatives between the UAE and the WEF aimed at advancing forward-looking policymaking. These include programmes to support strategic intelligence, digital health transformation and the development of frontier technology through Abu Dhabi-based research and innovation centres.
Technology and governance
In a strategic boost to research and innovation, the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) and the WEF announced the launch of the Abu Dhabi Centre for Frontier Technologies – a new hub within the Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution network focused on quantum computing, robotics, space systems and related AI applications. The centre aims to accelerate frontier research and strengthen global policy on emerging science and technology.
In another key development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed a deal with the WEF to expand co-operation ahead of the UN Water Conference, which the UAE will co-host with Senegal, focusing on international sustainability, water security and multilateral engagement.
The UAE and WEF also affirmed their commitment to setting up the Global Strategic Intelligence Programme, that aims to enable governments and institutions to transition toward more proactive and agile models for shaping global developments, boosting the speed of strategic decision making, and enhancing overall readiness in reacting to global shifts.
Observers say the UAE’s continued hosting of the Global Future Councils underlines its ambition to play a leading role in shaping global policy discussions and governance frameworks, particularly in areas related to innovation, sustainability and economic transformation.
By extending its partnership with the WEF, the UAE aims to further position itself as a platform for global dialogue and collaboration, aligning its national development priorities with international efforts to address complex and rapidly evolving global challenges.
