• More than 900 International Leaders and Influencers Meet in Abu Dhabi
• To Kick-off Discussions Around Critical Global Challenges

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates 27 October 2015: In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Crown Prince Court and Managing Director of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Summit Co-Chairs His Excellency Eng Sultan AlMansoori, Minister of Economy, and His Excellency Ali Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, both inaugurated the Opening Plenary of the World Economic Forum’s Summit on the Global Agenda 2015.

Hosted for the eighth time in the UAE and for the third time in Abu Dhabi, the Government of the United Arab Emirates and the Government of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi collaborate with the World Economic Forum by bringing together more than 900 global thought leaders, influencers and business leaders to discuss solutions to critical global, regional and industry challenges.

Also in attendance were HE Suhail Mohammed Al Mazrouie, Minister of Energy, HE Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of State, HE Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of Department of Transport, HE Ahmed Juma Al Zaabi, Deputy Minister of Presidential Affairs, HE Dr Ahmed Al Mazrouie, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, HE Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Chairman, Executive Affairs Authority, as well as, a number of local and international ministers and dignitaries. 

This meeting also represents the second year of the Network of Global Agenda Council’s two-year term, ensuring the continuity of projects aimed to achieve sustainable results.

His Excellency Eng Sultan AlMansoori, the UAE Minister of Economy, Summit Co-Chair welcomed Council Members to Abu Dhabi saying, “The Summit on the Global Agenda is about bringing people together, to engage in important conversations that may otherwise not have happened, to take part in rigorous debate and to share our ideas. The diverse perspectives represented here make the Summit an exceptional space for creative and collaborative problem solving. In short, we are here together to innovate.”

Speaking at the Opening Plenary, His Excellency Ali Majed Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, Summit Co-Chair, said, “This Summit is the place to collectively share and explore our methodologies and practices to reach broad, sustainable solutions to global challenges and opportunities. For me, this principle of long-term thinking is a critical element to this week’s discussions.”

This year’s Summit will address global challenges by applying shared learnings and knowledge of the World Economic Forum’s Network of Global Agenda Councils, comprising of more than 80 groups of experts from academia, business, civil society, international organizations and government. The councils will also take part in collaborative and interactive sessions to provide new perspectives on global trends and to formulate efficient solutions to the global challenges. The outcomes of these sessions will shape the agenda for the following World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in 2016.

Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, said, “The scale and breadth of our global challenges has rendered the international system fully consumed by crisis management. To tackle these challenges and benefit from the many opportunities, requires a more visionary, long-term, and horizontal approach to global decision making. This is exactly what the Summit on the Global Agenda is about.”

Some of the key topics being addressed during the three-day Summit include industrial change, the future of manufacturing, transformation in the global economy, global security, technological advancements, and cross-border business opportunities. A closing plenary on the 27th of October will conclude the Summit.