The fifth Summit on the Global Agenda opens tomorrow in Dubai, convening 88 World Economic Forum Global Agenda Councils with more than 1,000 of the world’s foremost experts from academia, government, business, civil society and media to collectively discuss the world’s most serious and pressing issues. The Co-Chairs of this year’s Summit on the Global Agenda are Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy of the United Arab Emirates, and Sami Dhaen Al Qamzi, Director-General, Department of Economic Development of the Government of Dubai.
“We are pleased with the ongoing preparations for the Summit. The importance we place on this meeting emphasizes the trusting and collaborative relationship we have with the Government of the United Arab Emirates. It is a reflection of our four years of successful cooperation,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum. “The Summit on the Global Agenda will provide key input into the next Annual Meeting in Davos as well as to the international organizations that will be present there at the highest level, including the United Nations, the World Bank, the IMF and OECD. For the first time, the Summit will bring together, in a special global meeting, leaders of major regional organizations worldwide,” he added.
At the three-day Summit members from across the 88 Councils in the Network of the Global Agenda Councils will focus their minds collectively on identifying issues and solutions that address serious global challenges in areas such as finance and economics, geopolitics, the environment, society and technology. The Councils act as incubators to nurture the ideas and to frame the debates that will shape the Davos agenda at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2013.
In parallel to the Summit, Dubai is also hosting the first Global Meeting of Regional Organizations. The Meeting seeks to provide a platform for leaders of the world’s regional organizations to meet as a global community, share best practices, discuss common challenges and risks, and create an ongoing dialogue to catalyse international cooperation in the global public interest. In addition, the leaders of regional organizations will have access to more than 1,000 experts from the Global Agenda Councils. This meeting will be co-chaired by Anwar M. Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates.
“The UAE Government is honoured to host the Summit on the Global Agenda for the fifth consecutive year in our nation. The Summit has now become the definitive brainstorming event in the world that brings together some of the brightest minds who work towards addressing the global challenges we face, as one humanity. Our partnership with the World Economic Forum for the past five years has paved the way to strengthen the position of the Summit as one of the most strategic events in the world with the participation of over 1,000 experts,” said Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy of the United Arab Emirates.
“Hosting the Summit on the Global Agenda once again in Dubai is a clear testament to the growing prominence of Dubai as the host city of global events that discuss issues of crucial significance to the world, given that the outcome of the Global Agenda Councils forms the basis of the annual World Economic Forum to be held in Davos in 2013,” said Sami Dhaen Al Qamzi, Director-General, Department of Economic Development of the Government of Dubai.
“By focusing on the core sectors of tourism, aviation, logistics, trade, retail and hospitality, and promoting innovation and entrepreneurship, Dubai has established itself as the regional business and tourism hub. The Summit on the Global Agenda provides us with a platform to highlight our growth model, which we feel can be an ideal fit for several emerging economies in the region and globally,” he added.
The public in the United Arab Emirates will also benefit, with high-profile Global Agenda Council members delivering a programme of Guest Lectures at Dubai’s Zayed University.
