World Government Summit 2026: Heads of State & Government

The Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Government Summit Foundation, Muhammad Abdullah Al-Gergawi, revealed the details of the twelfth edition of the World Government Summit, which will be held during the period from 3 to 5 February under the slogan “Foreseeing the Governments of the Future.”

Constant communication
Al-Gergawi pointed out that the World Government Summit 2026 will be the largest in the summit’s history, in terms of the level of international participation, as it witnesses the presence of 35 heads of state and government so far, including the Prime Minister of Spain, the President of Switzerland, the Prime Minister of Egypt, representatives of Jordan and a large number of countries, in addition to continuous communication with other heads of state, stressing that the summit has become a global platform for exchanging the best government experiences.

International organizations
He stated that all major international organizations will be present at the summit, including the International Monetary Fund, the Arab Monetary Fund, the International Labor Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, and others, explaining that the success of the summit is based on three main factors: the participation of governments, the presence of international organizations, and the pivotal role of the private sector that contributes to designing the future of the world.

essential pillar
He stressed that the private sector represents a fundamental pillar of the summit, as it hosts an elite group of future designers and leaders of international companies, including the heads of companies such as IBM, Alibaba, Airbus, Ericsson, Google, Microsoft, and others, in addition to hundreds of leaders from international companies that contribute to shaping the features of the future.

Accelerating variables
He stated that the past decade witnessed rapid and unprecedented changes that forced governments to reconsider their business models, noting that the World Government Summit played a pivotal role in anticipating these transformations early, in partnership with future designers from major international companies.

Dialogue platform
Al-Gergawi explained that the summit, since its inception, has provided a dialogue platform that brings together governments with private sector leaders and global innovators to discuss the fundamental changes that will affect the world in the coming years, pointing out that many of the proposals that were discussed more than ten years ago, most notably artificial intelligence, were proactive and have today become a tangible reality.

Summit march
He stressed that the media is an essential partner in the summit process, saying: “You are partners in this summit, and we have a huge global laboratory for governments in which ideas are presented, tested and then transformed into practical applications. We have also witnessed a comprehensive redefinition of the future of government work, especially after the Corona pandemic and the global changes that followed it.”

Clear presence
Al-Gergawi pointed out that the media has a wide presence at the summit, as all international media outlets participate, in addition to new media platforms, especially podcasts, which are witnessing an increasing influence, pointing out that the summit has become a global media platform that reflects the scale of discussions and transformations that the world is witnessing.

Research centers
He stressed that international research centers and universities are a major partner in the summit, as the best international universities and research centers participate annually to enrich discussions and formulate future visions.

24 forums and summits
He explained that the summit is not limited to its main sessions, but is witnessing the organization of 24 side forums and summits held in parallel, including forums on artificial intelligence, technology and policies, the Silk Road, the exchange of government experiences, the future of education, the future of justice, emerging economies, the maritime economy, global health, the future of mobility, government services, impact and sustainability, the global forum for legislation, in addition to youth forums and others.

35 ministerial meetings
He added that the summit hosts 35 ministerial meetings, including meetings of Arab finance ministers, Arab youth ministers, labor ministers in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and meetings anticipating the future of government work and tourism, in addition to high-level meetings between different governments, such as meetings for the future of Ecuador, and discussions between countries such as Kazakhstan and Korea on artificial intelligence.

International organizations
He pointed out that several international organizations are holding their meetings and forums on the sidelines of the summit, including the International Civil Aviation Organization, the Public Finance Forum for Arab States in the presence of the leadership of the International Monetary Fund, and the Tenth International Cooperation Conference in cooperation with the Association of Caribbean States, in addition to specialized sessions on the readiness of countries to benefit from artificial intelligence in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund.

Development meetings
Al-Gergawi explained that the summit also hosts high-level meetings on the future of housing and cities, in cooperation with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, in addition to strategic dialogues between the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European Union, and the Arab Government Administration Forum in cooperation with the League of Arab States and the Arab Organization for Administrative Development.

Global forum
He stressed that the summit has become an annual global forum, where governments, companies and international organizations meet, and many countries hold their own workshops and meetings on the sidelines of the summit, especially in the areas of improving government performance and designing more efficient policies.

Four international awards
Regarding the awards, Al-Gergawi pointed out that this year the Summit is offering four international awards, including the Best Minister in the World Award, the Most Developed Government Award, which is a new category, in addition to the Global Best Practices Award, which is more than twenty years old, and the Best Teacher Award in the world.

Global gathering
He also announced that the summit this year will witness the organization of the largest global gathering of Nobel Prize laureates and other prestigious scientific awards, under the title “The World Summit of Scientists,” with the participation of more than fifty scientists, to discuss the major challenges facing governments and the world, with the outcomes of these discussions being announced within the summit’s work.

Decision makers
Al-Gergawi concluded his speech by stressing that the World Government Summit represents a unique global platform that brings together decision-makers, scholars, the private sector and international organizations, stressing that global challenges cannot be faced by a single country, but rather require international cooperation and governments that are flexible in their tools, quick in their response, bold in their decisions, put people and quality of life at the heart of their policies, and realize that the ability to adapt to change is the key to the future.