The World Governments Summit Organisation has unveiled the agenda for the 2026 edition of the World Governments Summit, taking place from 3–5 February under the theme “Shaping Future Governments.”
The summit’s agenda reflects major global shifts and rapid developments across key sectors, offering forward-looking strategies to tackle pressing challenges while highlighting governments’ role in fostering community development worldwide.
Bringing together over 6,250 decision-makers, the summit aims to develop shared visions to enhance governance and international cooperation. Through more than 445 sessions and 450 speakers—including heads of state, ministers, experts, and CEOs—the event will explore practical solutions to global issues, empower governments, and shape sustainable progress.
This year marks the largest participation in the summit’s history, with over 45 heads of state, 15 deputy heads of state, 500+ ministers, 150+ governments, 87 global scientific laureates including Nobel Prize winners, 700 corporate leaders, and 80 international and regional organisations attending. Media coverage will also be extensive, with more than 840 journalists and 44 media partners.
The summit will focus on five core themes: Global Governance and Effective Leadership, Societal Wellbeing and Capacity Building, Economic Prosperity and Strategic Investments, Urban Future and Evolving Demographics, and Future Realities and Emerging Frontiers. It will also release 36 strategic reports with international partners and launch the 3rd edition of the Global Ministers Survey.
Honours presented during the summit include the Best Minister Award (with PwC), Most Reformed Government Global Award (with EY), Dubai International Best Practices Award for Sustainable Development (with UN-Habitat and Dubai Municipality), and the Global Teacher Prize (with the Varkey Foundation).
Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Governments Summit Organisation, highlighted the record global leadership participation, emphasizing the summit’s role as a unifying platform for proactive governance, international cooperation, and innovative solutions to global crises.
Day 0 (2 February) features the UAE-Kuwait Economic Forum, Arab Fiscal Forum, High-Level Investment Forum: Latin America & the Caribbean, Young Arab Leaders Forum, and sessions of the World Laureates Summit. Key participants include Mohamed Al Hussaini (UAE), Kristalina Georgieva (IMF), Fahad Al Turki (Arab Monetary Fund), Daniel Noboa (Ecuador), and Edward David Burt (Bermuda).
Day 1 includes keynotes and panel discussions with leaders such as Guy Parmelin (Switzerland), Alar Karis (Estonia), Vjosa Osmani (Kosovo), Pedro Sánchez (Spain), and Liz Truss (UK), alongside CEOs addressing governments of the future, global trade, AI, tourism, and next-generation economies. Major forums include the Young Scientists Forum, Artificial Intelligence Forum, and Government Experience Exchange Forum.
Day 2 features addresses by Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah (Kuwait), Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova (North Macedonia), and Dilma Rousseff (New Development Bank), with panels on the future of communication, investment in Africa, and the experience economy. Key forums include the Global Government Regulatory and Justice Forum, Future of Economy Forum, Future of Education Forum, and New Silk Road Forum.
Day 3 concludes the summit with keynotes from Mokhtar Ould Djay (Mauritania) and Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan (UAE), with sessions covering the digital economy, AI in government human resources, and shaping future governments. Closing forums include the Emerging Economies Forum, Future of Health Forum, and the 10th ACS International Cooperation Conference.
The World Governments Summit 2026 promises a high-impact platform to drive international collaboration, innovation, and forward-thinking governance for a rapidly changing world.
