Middle East G&PS Conversations that Matter: World Government Summit

Recently, over 10,000 people from over 150 countries convened in Dubai to attend the World Government Summit. Held under the theme “the future of government”, over 20 heads of state and government, 250 ministers, as well as leaders of international organisations and private sector companies shared their insights and perspectives on the global agendas of tomorrow. Reflecting on the key messages that came out of the sessions, trust, collaboration and pragmatic planning for sustained outcomes, all values that have become entrenched in our DNA and form the core of the #thenewequation stand out. I share below some of the key concepts that resounded the most with me:

1. Human centered development, technology and an energy “trilemma”

How to leverage technology to leave no-one behind, and the need for a pragmatic and fair transition to green energy was a key focus point throughout the Summit. Speakers raised concerns that we are discussing industry 4.0 and digitizing government at a time when people are struggling to meet their basic needs and access electricity/ internet. Frederik Kempe, CEO of the Atlantic Council referred to an energy trilemma of access, affordability and sustainability, amid calls to place stronger focus on leveraging technology to reduce emissions rather than immediately and completely shifting to renewable energy sources. Prioritizing measurement and reporting, Emeritus Professor Robert Kaplan suggested shifting focus to “shareholder value” and the measurement/ reporting of externalities to replace the current emphasis on ESG - which being generic and high level, tends to obscure details and in turn reporting. Alan Schwartz, Executive Chairman of Guggenheim Partners also reiterated that a lens on sustainability makes good business sense for shareholders and investors and is thus a strong driver for green transition.?

2. Less bad.. but not good. Is a mindshift underway?

Commenting on the positive revision of the International Monetary Fund ’s Global Economic Outlook growth projections, Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva emphasized that “what we now project is less bad. Not good. We are still in a difficult time. Growth will still slow down vis-a-vis previous years and because inflation has not evaporated yet”. The reasons for the optimism are threefold: labor market resilience in the EU and the West, the opening up of China and its projected contribution to global growth, and the impact/ results of the monetary tightening policies of Central Banks worldwide. That said, the message from Her Excellency was loud and clear: “the fight has still not been won”.

Unsurprisingly, a lot of discussion centered around government preparedness for disruption. Jeff Risom, Partner and Chief Innovation Officer at Gehl - Making Cities for People called for a mind-shift of both narrative and ambition in government to keep pace with new technologies and how they are leveraged for the greater good. Commenting on the potential impact and dangers of low government adoption of technology, Hiro Mizuno, Board Member of Tesla , pointed out that “without a clear indication or intervention on where society is going, investors rely on immediate trends and information that is available on hand, at the detriment of long term, outcome-based planning”.?

3. In the eye of a storm: prepare for the unthinkable – and find opportunity?

Several speakers spoke of the agility and resilience that GCC economies have demonstrated in withstanding the multiple crises of the past years, and the misconception that high energy prices are the only enablers of success. HE Georgieva highlighted that over the past years, GCC economies have demonstrated relentless reforms in how to raise and spend money, and how to open markets competitively to business. Commenting on the above, UAE Minister Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri pinpointed the UAE’s adaptability and agility as the key driver of success. “We are in the eye of the storm and have shown how you can find opportunity in fragmentation if you respond with agility… we are concerned with the unexpected. Think of the unthinkable and work to build resilience and agility. Our success has been built on our ability to change mindsets and use opportunity to create and build bridges within and between societies”.

This sentiment was echoed by Ragnheieur árnadóttir, Director at the OECD - OCDE who noted that “crisis is bad, but things happen during crisis that we have to take advantage of. When you have a sense of urgency, you develop the tools to do it. To achieve this, we need data, and data and then we need more data”.

4. Brain Drain, the Future of Work, and Unleashing the superpowers of the feminine

From the plenary sessions featuring heads of states and international leaders, through to the side workshops - brain drain was a predominant challenge in the narrative of emerging and developing countries throughout the Summit. Turmoil across Europe, Africa and the MENA region raises critical questions regarding the recovery and future development of these economies. Vice President of the 世界银行 Ferid Belhaj noted that “we need a new script”, HE Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director General of the International Labor Organization emphasizing the importance of an inclusive, holistic approach to addressing labor crisis and the future of work, noting that the “transition to the green economy will result in job losses, but also millions of jobs will be created. Between now and 2040, there will be a total of 18 million jobs created (24 million new and 6 million lost). The challenge is that the transition must be just. There has to be skilling and re-skilling, and protection. We cannot just push for climate change in silo”. Former (female) President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid reflected on the shifts that have taken place in education – with technology supporting learning across interests, as well as the impact of female role models in government and across sectors speaking up against/ calling out conscious and unconscious bias. This is particularly relevant and important in light of the latest research that shows the impact and potential of typically female leadership traits.

Chief Information Officer for Zoom Gary Sorrentino highlighted the importance of reengineering the work environment to employees returning from the pandemic with different requirements and expectations, calling on companies to among other things, “unleash intelligent experience, earn the right to your employees’ commute, and empower your employees to serve your clients”. This raises important questions about the relationships of trust between employers and employees in the workspace, as well as a re-examination of city planning and the built environment.?