Dubai: World Government Summit kicks off amid heavy rain, puts special focus on positives

However, as AlGergawi said, “if we look throughout history, we live in the best, safest and most prosperous human era.”

He said there were many indicators in this regard: the life expectancy of human beings doubles due to medical advances; the number of low-income countries has halved in just 20 years; 120,000 new books are produced every month; 33 million patents acquired in a decade; The list could go on.

He said that without being overly optimistic or delusional, we should focus on making the right decisions to shape our destiny.

“We must focus on the opportunities and the vast space of progress and development,” he said, adding: “What unites us is more than what divides us.”

Highlighting some key development indicators covering the economy, politics, media and society. He said it is up to governments to turn them into opportunities. For example, he said the cost of disputes, conflicts and violence around the world in one year amounts to $17 trillion. “Even using six percent of this figure can cover the most critical challenges facing humanity,” he said, pointing out the unlimited benefits that could be gained if the balance is channeled into education, health and eliminating hunger.

He also talked about how 50 percent of global growth comes from China and India. He touched on China’s transition to clean energy, India’s prowess in STEM and other achievements, adding that India was poised to become the world’s third-largest superpower by 2030.

AlGergawi said that Artificial Intelligence has increased our ability to learn 1,000 times in a year. To expand on his point, he talked about how ChatGPT had revolutionized the nature and volume of data transfer in record time. “But this is a double-edged sword,” he said, explaining how misleading information and distortion of facts are among the biggest challenges facing the world today.

The minister also referred to the “clear changes in international trade” and stated that globalization must be used as an engine of economic development. The World Government Summit is an ideal forum to address these and other issues, he added.

He emphasized the need to reduce the risks of technology, foster communication and commercial and cultural peace, focus on unity and redefine priorities.

This year’s three-day World Government Summit, now in its 11th edition, is being held under the theme “Shaping the Governments of the Future.”

With 25 heads of state and government attending the summit hosting more than 200 global speakers, AlGergawi said: “The summit offers an excellent opportunity to forge common perspectives on global developments and design proactive strategies to address future challenges.”

25 heads of state and government

85 international and regional organizations

110 interactive dialogues

120 government delegations