Dubai prepares to host the most significant gathering of global governance leaders in history as the World Governments Summit 2026 announces its comprehensive agenda. Scheduled for February 3-5 under the thematic banner ‘Shaping Future Governments,’ the summit will feature an extraordinary convergence of international leadership and expertise.
The 2026 edition marks a historic milestone with participation from more than 45 heads of state and government, alongside 15 deputy heads of state, over 500 ministers, and representatives from 150 governments worldwide. This unprecedented assembly demonstrates the growing recognition of the summit’s critical role in addressing contemporary global challenges.
The summit’s intellectual framework comprises 445 sessions featuring 450 distinguished speakers, including Nobel laureates, policy experts, and strategic thinkers. The program is further enriched by the participation of 700 corporate CEOs, 87 recipients of prestigious scientific awards, and representatives from 80 international organizations and academic institutions.
Five central thematic pillars will guide discussions: Global Governance and Effective Leadership; Societal Wellbeing and Capacity Building; Economic Prosperity and Strategic Investments; Urban Future and Evolving Demographics; and Future Realities and Emerging Frontiers. These themes reflect the urgent need for adaptive governance structures in response to rapid global transformations.
The preliminary agenda (Day 0, February 2) includes specialized forums such as the UAE-Kuwait Economic Forum, Arab Fiscal Forum, and High-Level Investment Forum for Latin America and the Caribbean. Prominent speakers include IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and UAE Minister of State for Financial Affairs Mohamed Al Hussaini.
Subsequent days will feature addresses from global leaders including Kuwait’s Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, North Macedonia’s President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, and New Development Bank President Dilma Rousseff. The closing sessions will include keynote addresses from Mauritania’s Prime Minister Mokhtar Ould Djay and UAE Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The summit will produce 36 strategic reports in collaboration with international knowledge partners and launch the third edition of the Global Ministers Survey. With 840 journalists and 44 media partners registered, the event is poised to generate substantial global coverage and influence international policy discussions for the coming year.