Dubai: More than 4,000 senior decision-makers from 140 countries will gather at the World Government Summit (WGS) in Dubai next week to help shape the future of the planet having over seven billion souls.

The seventh annual global gathering, which is being held at Madinat Jumeirah from Sunday, February 10 to Tuesday, February 12, will feature discussions – including heads of state, ministers and business leaders on key challenges facing the international community in the present and the future, from climate change and financial strategies to advances in technology and education.

The event, held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, aims to deliver a road map towards a more prosperous future for all nations.

More than 200 sessions tackling a wide variety of global concerns will be on the agenda during the three-day summit.

Leading figures who will address the Dubai World Summit include Pope Francis, who will deliver a papal message to the Governments of the world, Sheikha Maryam bint Mohammed bin Zayed, who will speak at a session entitled ‘choosing a future for the next generation’ and Saad Hariri, Prime Minister of Lebanon.

Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future and chairman of WGS, said the meeting will provide a blueprint for the success of governments worldwide.

The minister said the summit will focus on seven key topic: the future of technology, the future of health and quality of life, the environment and climate change, education and the labour market, trade and international co-operation, societies and politics and information and communication between governments and society.

The summit will welcome four Nobel Laureates, Colombia’s 32nd President, Juan Manuel Santos, Daniel Kahneman, Professor of Economics at Princeton University, Paul Krugman, Professor of Economics and International Affairs at the same prestigious seat of learning and Leymah Gbowee, a Liberian peace activist who won the Nobel Peace Prize for playing an integral role in bringing the second civil war in her homeland to an end.

An array of international leaders will descend on Dubai, including the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame and Jüri Ratas, Prime Minister of Estonia.

More than 30 global organisations will also be represented, with Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on hand and Ángel Gurría, Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), speaking about the future of the economy.

SOURCE: THE NATIONAL