Next Monday, a significant gathering of ministers, business leaders, policymakers, and experts from around the world will converge in Dubai for the World Government Summit. Over the course of three days, participants will delve into crucial themes such as the impact of artificial intelligence on employment, the challenge of feeding the growing global population, and the importance of addressing climate change.
A highlight of the summit will be a conversation between billionaire entrepreneur and founder of SpaceX, Elon Musk, and the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Mohammed Al Gergawi. Mr Musk previously spoke at the event in 2017, where he discussed the possibility of governments providing a basic income to citizens to mitigate the negative effects of automation on employment. At present, it is unclear whether Mr Musk will be present in person or participate remotely.
The Chairman of the summit, Mr Al Gergawi, emphasized the significance of the event as a platform for exchanging knowledge and ideas. Climate change will be a central theme, with the UAE hosting the Cop28 climate conference in November and December. The President-designate of Cop28, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, will deliver a keynote address on Tuesday outlining the country’s priorities for action. On the same day, Wavel Ramkalawan, President of Seychelles, will speak about the pressing issue of rising sea levels.
The summit will also feature speeches by Sherry Rehman, Pakistan’s Minister of Climate Change; Khadeeja Naseem, Minister of State for Environment, Climate Change, and Technology of Maldives; Razan Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion, Cop28; and Yasmin Fouad, Minister of Environment for Egypt. In addition, the summit will feature participation from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, Director General of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Adhanhom Ghebreyesus, the pop star will. i.am, and Nick Clegg, former Deputy Prime Minister of the UK and President of Meta, will engage in discussions on artificial intelligence-augmented governance with Omar Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Remote Work, and Digital Applications.
