The UAE concluded a high-profile showing at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, using the global stage to deepen international ties, advance innovation-led partnerships, and position itself at the centre of future-focused policymaking.
The annual gathering, which took place in Davos, Switzerland, collected over 3,000 leaders from government and business globally to discuss important global issues and the strategies to overcome them.
At the forum, the UAE delegation was led by H.H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.
Rather than headline speeches, the country’s impact and partisipation at the World Economic Forum (WEF) was defined by practical outcomes and institutional influence. Here are the 6 key takeaways from the UAE’s Davos 2026 engagement.
One of the clearest signals from Davos was the UAE’s evolving role, not just attending global forums, but hosting and shaping them.
A renewed strategic partnership with the WEF will see Dubai host the Global Future Councils for the next five years, anchoring long-term global policy discussions in the region. This positions the UAE as a convening hub for future-oriented governance.
AI was not treated as a buzzword but as infrastructure.
New initiatives launched with the WEF focused on strategic intelligence, future forecasting, and AI governance, reinforcing the UAE’s push to institutionalise foresight within government and policymaking.
The establishment of a dedicated future AI centre in Abu Dhabi further underlined ambitions to influence how AI is developed, regulated, and deployed globally.
Beyond technology, the UAE used Davos to advance cooperation on fundamental global challenges. Progress on smart health systems, healthy longevity, and preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference highlighted a consistent theme: pairing innovation with humanitarian and sustainability goals. These initiatives reflect the UAE’s strategy of aligning diplomacy, development, and technology rather than treating them separately.
The UAE delegation was notable for its strong private sector representation, signalling how closely government and business agendas are aligned.
This was reinforced by the appointment of Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, managing director and group CEO of Mubadala Investment Company, as Chair of the WEF’s International Business Council, marking the first Middle Eastern leader to hold the role. The appointment places the UAE at the heart of global business-policy dialogue.
Insights into the release of the latest TradeTech Report highlighted the UAE’s ambition to modernise global trade infrastructure through technology. By positioning itself as a driver of digital trade, logistics innovation, and supply-chain resilience, the UAE is aiming to shape how commerce adapts to geopolitical fragmentation and technological disruption.
The report itself is part of the TradeTech initiative created back in 2023 in Davos, partnering the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade, Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and WEF.
Davos 2026 reinforced that the UAE is positioning itself as a long-term architect of global solutions, leveraging partnerships, technology, and capital to influence how the next phase of global growth is shaped.
Rather than chasing headlines, the country focused on building the frameworks where future decisions will be made, a strategy that continues to distinguish its role on the global stage.
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