As His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomed guests attending the World Governments Summit (WGS) 2024, the president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) emphasized the importance of the summit in fostering global dialogues.
“The World Governments Summit is the UAE’s responsible invitation to the whole world to join the dialogue, share knowledge and invest in new ideas and creative energies that are capable of creating innovative solutions to development challenges and meet peoples’ expectations of a good life and a better future,” he stated in a press release.
The UAE president welcomed those who will attend this year’s WGS along with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Al Maktoum is the vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai.
WGS 2024 highlights
The annually hosted summit will see over 25 heads of state and governments convene under the theme “Shaping Future Governments.” There will be more than 4,000 expected attendees, which include 140 governments, over 85 international organizations and several thought leaders and experts. WGS will take place until Wednesday, February 14.
In its 11th year, WGS 2024 will have 110 interactive dialogues and sessions featuring 200 speakers. There will also be 23 ministerial meetings and executive sessions. These discussions will welcome more than 300 ministers alongside Nobel laureates. The ministerial meetings will include meetings that will gather Arab finance ministers, energy ministers, and ministers involved in sustainable development.
Moreover, WGS will also launch 25 strategic reports offering insights across key sectors. In collaboration with academic and research bodies and think tanks, these reports will address prominent global trends. The summit will also host roundtable meetings to foster cooperation and identify solutions.
“The UAE believes that real governments are capable of translating people’s ambitions into a sustainable reality. When government work is afflicted with stalling and procrastination when it is dependent on happenstance, these are signs of the end of development and the end of human civilization itself,” remarked Al Maktoum.
“When governments fail to deliver their mission of leading and enacting change, they waive their entitlement to the present and the future; they retire from life,” he added.
Read: WGS 2024: Summit to launch 25 strategic reports
Innovative service to take Dubai to new heights
Ahead of WGS 2024, Al Maktoum also graced the signing of an agreement to unveil aerial taxis in Dubai by 2026. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, crown prince of Dubai and chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai and His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), also witnessed the event.
The agreement was signed by RTA, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Joby Aviation, a leading name in aerial taxi development, and Skyports Infrastructure, a premier vertiport infrastructure provider.
Joby Aviation S4 Aerial Taxi, the innovative transportation, will commence its commercial operations in 2026. It can cater to four passengers and a pilot. The taxi, which will cover a maximum distance of 161 kilometers, will operate on four battery packs. The project is part of RTA’s mobility efforts and will be integrated with the city’s robust public transport network.
Once the operations start, Dubai will become the first city in the world to offer a commercial, city-wide aerial taxi service. Initially, it will cover four prime locations. These include Dubai International Airport, the Downtown area, Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah.
The GCAA also formulated a national regulatory framework for the project’s implementation. With this, the organization has become the first national aviation authority to issue regulations for air taxis and vertical ports.
Dubai’s aerial taxi service is a pioneering endeavor that enhances mobility while emphasizing sustainability. Aerial taxis will have no emissions during operation and will only generate minimal noise. Their ability to take off and land vertically further offers greater flexibility, especially in urban environments.
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