Dubai: His Excellency Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the Annual Meetings of Global Future Leaders, said the world is entering a new phase in which not only are events and circumstances changing, but the rules of change themselves are evolving. He stressed that this requires a new concept of leadership and a greater ability to anticipate transformations and shape the future.
During his opening remarks at the annual meetings of the Global Future Leaders, His Excellency said the UAE’s partnership with the World Economic Forum began in Dubai in 2008 through the Global Agenda Councils, before evolving into the Global Future Councils, which brought together more than 70 councils and 12,000 experts and leaders. He noted that this journey is entering a new chapter with the launch of the Global Future Leaders initiative, bringing together leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs from more than 100 countries united by a shared ambition to create a better future for humanity.
He added: “Eighteen years ago, we were asking: ‘How do we prepare for the future?’ Today, we are asking: ‘How do we lead a future whose rules are constantly changing?’”
He explained that a single economic decision in one capital city can affect the lives of millions, a cyberattack can disrupt the services of an entire country, and a new technology can reshape a global economic sector.
Three major transformations
Al Gergawi said the world is currently experiencing three major transformations. The first is a shift in the global balance of power. He noted that 2025 witnessed more than 60 armed conflicts, the highest level since 1946, while global military spending reached nearly US$3 trillion, marking the largest annual increase since the end of the Cold War.
He said trade restrictions are reshaping manufacturing, investment and supply chains, with decisions made in a single capital now capable of influencing global trade and affecting food and energy prices.
He added that global public debt approached 94% of GDP in 2025, while the International Monetary Fund expects it to reach 100% by 2029, limiting the ability of many governments to invest in their people and their countries’ futures.
Al Gergawi stressed that these developments place a greater responsibility on future leaders to build resilient economies, establish partnerships that transcend divisions and strengthen trust as a foundation for cooperation.
“In a world where the balance of power is changing, the strength of leadership is measured by its ability to protect people’s opportunities and their future,” he said.
Is artificial intelligence the last invention of humankind?
Al Gergawi said the second transformation concerns human capabilities and technology, raising what he described as a pivotal question: “Is artificial intelligence today the last invention that humanity will create? And will artificial intelligence itself develop the new tools, machines and inventions of the future?”
He said the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is opening a deeper discussion about the future of humanity. The key question, he noted, is how to redefine the role of people and their skills in innovation if artificial intelligence becomes capable of innovating and designing new technologies on its own.
Resources, energy and climate
Addressing the third transformation, Al Gergawi said it relates to the future of resources, energy and climate. He noted that the world has experienced its ten hottest years on record in recent years, while renewable energy accounted for around 86% of new electricity generation capacity added globally in 2025.
He said the world faces unprecedented challenges but also has access to solutions that previous generations did not possess. Progress in the years ahead, he added, will depend on how quickly those solutions are translated into tangible results.
Al Gergawi concluded that the pace of global transformation demands a new model of leadership. He identified five essential qualities of future leaders, beginning with the ability to anticipate change before it happens rather than simply responding to it afterwards.