Only agile governance can help countries develop an effective way to harness the opportunities and tackle the challenges facing the world from the rapidly developing technologies changing the way we will work and live over the next decade, a gathering of the World Economic Forum in Dubai heard on Saturday
The UAE was the venue for the world’s “biggest brainstorming on the future” as hundreds of experts met to build a vision of what 2030 will look like in terms of how technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics and blockchain will impact us.
“I myself have been struck by the speed of developments of some of those technologies [for example] artificial intelligence or blockchain. We will need to develop principles and protocols to make sure those technologies have a positive impact and become broadly accepted by society,” said Professor Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum.
He said that institutions had to show much greater agility and also the capacity to appreciate the interdependence between issues.
He also highlighted the UAE’s leadership in this regard, for example the appointment of the world’s first minister for artificial intelligence, Omar Al Olama.
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Prof Schwab was speaking at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils in Dubai where a gathering of hundreds of experts is working on some of today’s biggest challenges and opportunities related to what the Wef calls the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
In the past two years, the 35 councils have been building a vision for 2030, with areas of focus including the challenges and opportunities facing the workplace, health, mobility, infrastructure investment, decarbonisation and food sustainability.
"The future is a global and moral shared responsibility," said Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future of the United Arab Emirates, who is also co-chair of the two-day meeting. He spoke of the gathering's mission to "seek to transform concepts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution into an international shared agenda."
“The UAE has become an open global laboratory for the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” he said.
Mr Al Gergawi highlighted how the digitisation of data, the Internet of Things and the globalisation of knowledge are impacting skills and economic growth around the world.
An Internet of Things Strategy and Data Wealth initiative was launched last month by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
Present at the opening session of the meeting were Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, minister of state, Noura Al Kaabi, minister of culture and knowledge development, food security minister Maryam Al Muhairi, and the minister for climate change and the environment Thani Al Zeyoudi.
Prof Schwab also announced that the theme of the forum’s annual meeting in Davos in January will be “creating a shared future in the fractured world”.
“In a world that is increasingly becoming multi-stakeholder, multi-conceptual we need mobilisation to create a shared positive narrative, a shared forward looking narrative for human kind,” he said.
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Match info
Manchester United 0-0 Crystal Palace
Man of the match: Cheikhou Kouyate (Crystal Palace)
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
