Dubai Government Summit to host more than 100 global speakers

With an “innovative” focus on how governments can handle a changing world, a total of 87 countries will be participating in this year’s Dubai Government Summit, organizers announced this week.

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon and Queen Rania of Jordan will be among more than 100 international speakers at this year’s event.

Also, Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum and Boo-Keun Yoon, President and CEO of Consumer Electronics at Samsung Electronics, will be giving talks.

Among the high-profile attendees from the UAE will be Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed al-Maktoum and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan.

Mohammed Abdullah al-Gergawi, minister of cabinet affairs and chairman of the organizing committee, said in a statement that this year’s event will be “different.”

“Government Summit 2015 will be different, innovative and outstanding. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is following the work of the organizing committee closely. The Summit will benefit immensely from the participation of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan for the first time this year as the main speaker, offering a unique opportunity for the global gathering to gain insights on the successful experience of urban development, government management and community development policies.” Gergawi said.

Ambitious aims

During last year’s summit, Crown Prince Hamdan unveiled an ambitious government 2021 vision. The initiative was accompanied by a video showing residents of Dubai going about their daily lives seven years from now, with many of them wearing a smart wristband to communicate with government bodies.

A British expat woman was shown wearing the smart device before flying from London to Dubai. The device tells her that her residency status in Dubai was updated. Upon her arrival, the device tells her: “welcome back to Dubai” before advising her how to get home fast by avoiding heavy traffic.

Speeches from delegates last year also included British billionaire Richard Branson, who revealed plans to launch his commercial “space tourism” venture into orbit.

The Dubai Government Summit 2015 will run from Feb. 9 to 11.