Mohammed bin Rashid to Lead A Session on Reviving Development in the Arab World During WGS 2017

Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced he will be leading a Q&A Session to examine the revival of the development process in the Arab World.

The session will take place during the fifth edition of the World Government Summit, WGS, 2017.

During the session, Sheikh Mohammed will share his leadership experience and also present his views on the Arab region, its current conditions, future and the potential for development in the Arab World.

He will take questions, feedback and input from the general public across the Arab World, harnessed through a social media campaign inviting public participation.

The highly-anticipated discussion will focus on the Arab region at a time when it is facing substantial challenges on all fronts. Sheikh Mohammed will present his approach toward development and the potential future of the Arab World.

Announcing the panel discussion in a series of tweets from his official Twitter account, Sheikh Mohammed stressed the importance of a dialogue on the future of the region. He emphasized that the goal behind the hashtag #ArabFuture was to spark a truly pan-Arab dialogue on development, inviting wide-ranging public participation.

One of his tweets posed the question whether there is hope for development in the Arab World and whether it is possible to shape a new future for the region.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid tweeted, "My personal experience in Dubai and the UAE leads me to believe in the potential of this region and its people".

As one of the world’s most prominent leaders in embracing technology to enhance public service and good governance, Sheikh Mohammed is renowned for integrating modernity with tradition, embracing innovation and technological advancement while respecting heritage and national identity in his leadership style.

He has successfully merged the scientific and humanitarian aspects of development together with promoting inclusiveness and tolerance, evident in the mix of some 200 nationalities living and working in harmony in the UAE under a legislative umbrella that promotes equality and respect among diverse cultures and faiths.

The discussion His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid engaged in with the people of the UAE during the first World Government Summit in 2013 was a first-of-its-kind step taken by an Arab leader with such transparency and access.

The discussion was considered a gateway to building a comprehensive national curriculum of development for all segments of society, as well as for government, scientific, and economic institutions that laid the foundations of excellence. It also linked innovation with progress, and examined the relationship between the government and its people as the future of a country. That dialogue led to the publication of the best selling book based on the discussion, ‘Flashes of Thought’.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid emphasised that authority is for the people, not above them, and that the mission of government is to lead its people to a happier and more stable future. Such a mission requires cooperation among society, public and private organisations, and government institutions.