World Government Summit: AI Readiness is Imperative

Opening session of World Government Summit (WAM)
Opening session of World Government Summit (WAM)
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World Government Summit: AI Readiness is Imperative

Opening session of World Government Summit (WAM)
Opening session of World Government Summit (WAM)

Participants in the World Government Summit (WGS) 2024 on Monday unanimously agreed that the rapid progress in artificial intelligence technologies has become a pivotal point in preparing for the future, emphasizing the necessity of establishing strategies for this transformative wave.
The summit stressed the importance of clarifying the multifaceted dimensions of AI impact, starting with its ability to revolutionize industries and increase human capabilities.
Participants called for setting positive frameworks that help benefit from this technology.
The event also witnessed discussions about global economy and the challenges facing it.
- $17 trillion
UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs and WGS Chairman Mohammed al-Gergawi announced that $17 trillion is the cost of disputes, conflicts, and violence around the world last year alone. He said six percent of this number could cover the cost of major challenges facing humanity in one year.
“For example, it could eliminate hunger and literacy, treat cancer and provide clean water. Imagine what could be achieved if we invested more in addressing other challenges facing humanity,” he said.
He pointed out that poverty rates are constantly declining in the world, noting that “poverty rate has been reduced by 50% in 20 years,” adding: if we look throughout history, we will find out that we are living in the best, safest, most prosperous, and healthiest human era.”
- Artificial intelligence
He stressed that the clear shifts in international trade portend a decline in globalization, and may cost up to 7% of the world's gross domestic product, represented by high inflation, labor shortages, and disintegration in the global financial system.
Gergawi cautioned that this technology is a double-edged sword, as “media misinformation” and the spread of misleading and false information will be one of the biggest challenges facing humanity.
The number of fabricated videos in 2023 has tripled from the previous year, and half a million fabricated content has spread in the digital space, he added.
The Minister pointed out that 50% of global growth comes from China and India alone, as these two countries emerge to shape the future of global economic growth.
China has surpassed the United States in the number of patents in AI and investment in clean energy, and India has the largest number of patents in the world.
With the rest of the Asia-Pacific region contributing up to 25% of global growth, this means that more than 70% of global economic growth will come from the East.
Gergawi called for cooperation to benefit from this emerging new global economic engine instead of confronting it and trying to obstruct it.
- Infrastructure
Meanwhile, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on Monday that every country needs to have its own artificial intelligence infrastructure in order to take advantage of the economic potential while protecting its own culture.
"You cannot allow that to be done by other people," Huang said at the World Government Summit in Dubai.
Huang, whose firm has catapulted to a $1.73 trillion stock market value due to its dominance of the market for high-end AI chips, said his company is "democratizing" access to AI due to swift efficiency gains in AI computing.
"The rest of it is really up to you to take initiative, activate your industry, build the infrastructure, as fast as you can."
He said fears about the dangers of AI are overblown and some interests aim to "scare people about this new technology, to mystify this technology, to encourage other people to not do anything about that technology and rely on them to do it. And I think that's a mistake."
Huang stressed that investing in AI is a cornerstone of the economic future, noting that building the right infrastructure is essential to protecting local culture and maximizing economic benefits.

He emphasized the importance of joint efforts to make access to AI more democratic and how to improve the efficiency of AI computing.
The expert called on Arab countries to invest in strong AI industries and infrastructure, pointing to its enormous potential.
He underlined that the focus should be on the responsible development and application of AI, taking into account the principles of safety, transparency, and inclusivity.
Huang downplayed concerns about AI risks and pointed to the need for strategic investments in smart infrastructure and comprehensive policies that encourage open-source development.
- Egypt’s economy
For his part, Egypt’s Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly said that the summit is being held amid delicate global circumstances, in light of the successive global economic crises and influential geopolitical developments that affect all nations.
He explained that the challenges include the widespread inflation, which necessitated changes in the priorities of economic policies, most notably monetary policy.
The PM explained that today’s governments face many challenges and threats to their traditional roles, including the economic repercussions of successive and complex global crises, which have led to higher inflationary waves.
He also referred to a significant decline in global economic growth, which is expected to remain during the current and next years lower than its historical records during 2000-2019, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates.



Saudi Arabia Calls for Global Water Cooperation to Advance Integrated Management

The first preparatory meeting for the 11th World Water Forum 2027 kicked off in Riyadh on Monday. (11th World Water Forum 2027 | Riyadh 2027 on X)
The first preparatory meeting for the 11th World Water Forum 2027 kicked off in Riyadh on Monday. (11th World Water Forum 2027 | Riyadh 2027 on X)
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Saudi Arabia Calls for Global Water Cooperation to Advance Integrated Management

The first preparatory meeting for the 11th World Water Forum 2027 kicked off in Riyadh on Monday. (11th World Water Forum 2027 | Riyadh 2027 on X)
The first preparatory meeting for the 11th World Water Forum 2027 kicked off in Riyadh on Monday. (11th World Water Forum 2027 | Riyadh 2027 on X)

The first preparatory meeting for the 11th World Water Forum 2027 kicked off in Riyadh on Monday with the participation of top scientists, experts, decision-makers from around the world.

Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Alfadley, with the participation of World Water Council President Loïc Fauchon, inaugurated the official logo of the World Water Forum 2027.

In his remarks, Alfadley emphasized Saudi Arabia’s call for strengthened international cooperation and joint efforts among countries and organizations to tackle global water challenges. He underscored the importance of ensuring universal access to water and sanitation services as a key pillar in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6).

“Saudi Arabia prioritizes the water sector through various measures, including the adoption of a national strategy encompassing water production, storage, transportation, distribution, treatment, and reuse, all within a comprehensive institutional framework,” Alfadley added.

He further stated that the Kingdom has implemented Integrated Water Resources Management and enhanced supply chain governance. This is supported by the release of a long-term supply and demand plan that extends to 2050, alongside a commitment to environmental, social, and economic considerations in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030.

Highlighting the Kingdom's leading role in supporting regional and international water issues, Alfadley pointed to the launching of the Global Water Organization, aimed at fostering international collaboration, and the establishment of an International Water Research Center focused on water economics, water security, advanced technologies, and digital transformation.

Fauchon said the council, in collaboration with Saudi authorities, has developed a comprehensive framework outlining the thematic, regional, and political components that will shape the roadmap for the 11th edition of the forum that is being held in the Middle East for the first time.

He stressed the need to make water a top global priority, adding that this gathering will lay the foundation for future water policies. “The way ahead is still long, but we are confident we’re on the right path toward real solutions—solutions that can change lives,” he said.

Deputy Minister for Water at the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Dr. Abdulaziz Alshaibani underscored the urgency of the current moment, describing the preparatory meeting as a call for serious and immediate action. Alshaibani emphasized the need to build upon existing progress in the water sector and to move decisively towards solidifying priorities.

He stressed the importance of greater coherence and integration across all sectors, along with the unification of all efforts, to achieve tangible solutions to global water challenges and to meet SDG 6. Alshaibani further noted that effective solutions must be anchored in several key pillars, including financing, innovation, diplomacy, and environmental considerations.

The World Water Forum 2027, organized by the World Water Council in Saudi Arabia, is a significant international platform for exchanging ideas and experiences in water management.