World Governments Summit 2027

The World Governments Summit is an annual gathering in Dubai that brings heads of state and government, ministers, international organisations, business leaders and experts together to explore how governments can prepare for what comes next. Run under the leadership of the UAE, it mixes high-profile dialogue sessions with global forums, ministerial meetings and the release of research reports on governance trends.

Who attends

The summit is aimed at government officials, business leaders, academics and experts from around the world. Attendance is by invitation: only summit partners and members are invited, and interested organisations are directed to join the WGS Community.

Themes

The 2026 edition was organised around five themes, which give a good picture of the summit's agenda.

• Global governance and effective leadership
• Community wellbeing and human capacity development
• Economic prosperity and emerging opportunities
• The future of cities and demographic shifts
• Future outlooks and emerging global opportunities

Formats

Alongside the main-stage dialogue sessions the summit hosts themed global forums, ministerial and high-level meetings, roundtables and the signing of bilateral agreements, plus awards recognising government innovation.

Key figures (2026 edition)

The 13th edition, held in Dubai from 3 to 5 February 2026, recorded the largest leadership participation in the summit's history.

• More than 6,250 participants
• Over 60 heads of state and government and their deputies
• More than 500 ministers and representatives of over 150 governments
• 445+ dialogue sessions with 450+ global figures
• 25 global forums and 45+ ministerial and high-level meetings

Tickets & passes

• Invitation (partners and members): Attendance is by invitation for WGS partners and members; apply to join via the WGS Community