Dubai: Day 1 of World Governments Summit (WGS) 2025 kicked off on Monday with a wake-up call against wars and conflicts.

Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Governments Summit Organisation, welcomed the gathering with a powerful opening speech that shook the audience with the stark realities of certain governments repeating the same mistakes of going to war over the past 25 years.

Taking a trip down the lane to 2000, Al Gergawi touched upon the major developments that took place in the world in the past two -and-a-half decades.

Reflecting on the past 25 years for foreseeing what the next 25 years will look like, he said the world is currently experiencing a turning point in human civilisation.

However, the most hitting account of the history was the destruction caused by wars and conflicts as shown in a video played on the giant screen.

“More than 2 million lives were lost to war and conflicts,” he said.

Al Gergawi noted that while 25 years ago, the world feared nuclear wars, today, the greatest concern lies in cyber warfare.

The minister poised the following questions : “What if humanity did not choose wars and conflicts over the past 25 years? What if we had chosen peace instead of destruction? What if economic growth wasn't the only measure of progress in the past 25 years?

What if government’s prioritised the quality of growth instead?

What if human values had driven the global agenda over the past 25 years?

What if the world's 50 largest economies allocate just  1% of their GDP to solving these challenges?

For those meaningful things to happen, he said, there should be trust among governments. 

“Trust is the foundation of relationships, economies, and governance,” said Al Gergawi.

However, those who fail to learn from history are destined to repeat it, he pointed out.

He continued: “If we examine the trust index in governments, we find that it does not exceed 52 per cent. Meanwhile, 680 million people still live below the poverty line, and the world today requires $800 billion to eradicate hunger and poverty. The UAE, for its part, allocates 1.5 per cent of its GDP annually to international relief efforts.”

A brighter future does not demand miracles, he said, highlighting that the governments that study the past deeply are the ones best equipped to shape the future.

He emphasised that the power to shape the future lies in our hands, emphasising that the future does not require miracles but rather a steadfast commitment to values, as governments that deeply understand the past are best positioned to design the future.

While delving into the past, he said: “On December 31, 1999, the world was gripped by fear over the potential collapse of systems and the telecommunications sector. However, in the first minute of the year 2000, that fear dissipated. What the world did not anticipate was that the real technological fear would emerge following the events of September 11.”

The past 25 years have been eventful yet remarkable in terms of development, he highlighted.

“The global population has grown from 6 billion to 8.2 billion, the economy has doubled in size, and international trade has expanded to $13 trillion in 2024. The world has transitioned from the dominance of traditional industries to the rise of technology companies and digital platforms, bringing significant transformations to the economic landscape.”

Looking forward, he said the global population wil reach 10 billion by 2050. By then, more than 20% of the population will be over 60- double the percentage in 2000.

“In 2050, humans will morph into hybrid species: biological and artificial. In 2050, Human intelligence, capabilities, and productivity will be unparalleled. We're stepping into an entirely new era in the history of human civilisation. The future of humanity will be shaped by the questions we ask today,” he highlighted.

The 12th edition of WGS is taking place in Dubai till February 13 under the theme ‘Shaping Future Governments’. Record international participation, the largest in WGS history, is expected this year.

The Summit will host over 30 heads of state and government, 80+ international organisations, 140 government delegations, and 6,000+ participants, including leading global experts. The expanded agenda features 21 global forums exploring future trends across 200+ interactive sessions, addressed by 300+ prominent figures. Over 30 ministerial meetings and roundtables will convene 400+ ministers, culminating in the release of 30 strategic reports developed with the Summit’s international knowledge partners.

Tech giants Elon Musk and Sundar Pichai and Prime Ministers and Presidents from several countries are set to address the WGS 2025.