Dubai hosted the landmark World Governments Summit (WGS) 2026 from February 3-5, drawing record crowds under the theme “Shaping Future Governments.”
Over 6,000 leaders from 150+ countries gathered for 320+ sessions, creating solutions for AI, sustainability, and resilient economies.
Record-Breaking Participation
The summit featured more than 35 heads of state, 500+ ministers, and 450+ experts, including delegations from the IMF, IFC, and World Bank.
It marked the largest international turnout in WGS history, with 100+ organizations collaborating on 24 specialized forums. Key forums included the New Silk Road Forum, IFC's Latin America & Caribbean Investment Forum, the 10th International Cooperation Conference with the Association of Caribbean States, and the Future of Economy Forum.
Debuting outside Shanghai, the World Laureates Summit (WLS) united Nobel, Turing, and Fields Medal winners like Michael Levitt (2013 Chemistry Nobel), Kip Thorne (2017 Physics Nobel), and John Hopcroft (1986 Turing Award) to tackle global challenges.
Star-Studded Speakers Lineup
Category | Examples |
Presidents/PMs | Joko Widodo (Indonesia), William Ruto (Kenya), Mostafa Madbouly (Egypt), Masrour Barzani (Kurdistan Region), Macky Sall (former Senegal) |
Global Org Leaders | Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (WTO), Ajay Banga (World Bank), Catherine Russell (UNICEF), Haitham Al Ghais (OPEC) |
Tech/Business | Elon Musk, Alexander Karp (Palantir), Klaus Schwab |
Other | Sanjay Gupta (CNN), Idris Elba, Aaron Ciechanover (Nobel Laureate) |
Speakers spanned presidents, CEOs, and laureates. Heads of government included Indonesia's Joko Widodo, Kenya's William Ruto, Egypt's Mostafa Madbouly, Kurdistan Region's Masrour Barzani, and the Maldives' Mohamed Muizzu.
Global organization heads: WTO's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, World Bank's Ajay Banga, UNICEF's Catherine Russell, OPEC's Haitham Al Ghais, and NDB's Dilma Rousseff.
Tech and business icons: Elon Musk (Tesla, SpaceX, X), Palantir's Alexander Karp, WEF's Klaus Schwab, CNN's Sanjay Gupta, actor Idris Elba, PepsiCo's Aamer Sheikh, and Nobel chemist Aaron Ciechanover.
Others: Former Senegal President Macky Sall, Cuba's Manuel Cruz, Sierra Leone's David Sengeh, Indonesia's Asman Abnur, Warwick economist Andrew Oswald, and NEA's William Magwood IV.
PwC's Strategic Role
PwC continued as Knowledge Partner, spotlighting the Best Minister Award and Global Ministers Survey. Executives joined closed-door roundtables: Hani Ashkar on Apple's “AI in Manufacturing” (Day 1), Laurent Depolla on Agility's “Partnerships for a Sustainable, Intelligent Economy” (Day 2), and Khaled Bin Braik on “The Future of HR in the Era of AI” (Day 3).
PwC launched three reports: Anchoring Degrees, Accelerating Skills, Policies Towards a Stackable, Skills-First Ecosystem, Smart Trade Diplomacy, Transport and Logistics Alliances in a Multipolar World, and Harnessing AI to Build Whole-of-Society Resilience, A Blueprint for Governments of the Future.
Outcomes and Impact
Discussions emphasized international cooperation, innovative policies, and empowering next-gen governments amid economic and tech shifts. WLS outcomes were announced on-site, highlighting science-driven fixes for pressing issues.
The event reinforced Dubai's hub status, blending policy discourse with actionable insights for resilient societies.
