Dubai: Organised by the UAE Government in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF), the second edition of the 'We the UAE 2031 Strategic Intelligence Councils' launched today in Dubai, coinciding with the Annual Meetings of the Global Future Councils and Cybersecurity 2025. The event signifies a new phase in the UAE's continuous efforts to enhance government readiness and establish an innovative model for a future grounded in knowledge, adaptability, and foresight.
According to Emirates News Agency, this initiative aligns with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, launching a new strategic cycle for the UAE Government. The focus is on strategic intelligence in planning, emphasizing Strategic Optionality and the importance of adapting to global changes to enhance future readiness.
The 'We the UAE 2031 Strategic Intelligence Councils' is the first initiative of its kind globally, concentrating on 'Flexibility and Diversification of Strategic Options'. This approach is viewed as a crucial mechanism for advancing government planning and enhancing the UAE's readiness to confront rapid changes.
The UAE Government is reinforcing its leadership in implementing methods to anticipate the future and transform challenges into opportunities. This initiative supports the 'We the UAE 2031' vision, built on four key pillars: fostering a prosperous society on the global stage; consolidating the UAE's position as a leading hub for the new economy; strengthening its role as a key advocate of international cooperation; and developing a more advanced system of governance. These efforts aim to bolster the UAE's standing as an active global partner and a dynamic economic centre.
The current session of the Councils unites over 100 decision-makers, thought leaders, experts, and officials from government entities, alongside private sector leaders in the UAE. They collectively represent about 80 entities across the public and private sectors and academic institutions. The event offers a collaborative platform to analyze key trends shaping the global landscape and transform emerging risks into strategic choices and actionable scenarios aligned with the 'We the UAE 2031' vision objectives.
Huda Al Hashimi, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs, highlighted the UAE's proactive approach to transforming challenges into opportunities, developing adaptive government systems that thrive in a complex global environment. This enhances competitiveness and reinforces the UAE's leadership on the world stage. The strategic decision-making process is integral to devising flexible and effective responses, enabling nations with confidence in their vision to shape their future by developing robust foresight capabilities.
The 'We the UAE 2031 Strategic Intelligence' initiative underscores the UAE's commitment to fostering an institutional culture grounded in lifelong learning and diversifying solutions. It prioritizes assessing emerging risks as potential opportunities to shape the nation's future while examining the capabilities required to navigate various scenarios and developing practical solutions to strengthen national strategies.
The initiative is structured around seven specialized councils, each focusing on specific areas: Economy and Tourism, Artificial Intelligence and Technology, Food and Water Security, Future of Work and Skills, Energy and Infrastructure, Trade and Investment, and Health and Wellbeing.
A main session titled 'Strategic Optionality: Designing Governments That Thrive in Uncertainty' was presented by Rudolph Lohmeyer, Senior Partner and Head of National Transformations Institute at Kearney Inc., highlighting the importance of adopting strategic choices that enhance governments' readiness for unforeseen challenges.
Additionally, a panel discussion titled 'Optionality as Strategy: Rethinking Policy for a Disrupted World' was held, moderated by Rebecca Ivey, Head of the Global Collaboration Village at WEF. Mohammed Al Hawi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Investment, and Geraldine Wessing, Chief Political Analyst at Shell, discussed the need for more flexible policy development approaches, emphasizing public-private sector partnerships as key pathways to innovative solutions.
The programme is designed as a multi-level journey combining theoretical expertise with real-world experience, focusing on identifying global threats, converting challenges into solutions, and determining capabilities required to address them. Councils propose actionable options aligned with the 'We the UAE 2031' Vision objectives.
By organizing this event alongside the Annual Meetings of the Global Future Councils and Cybersecurity 2025, the UAE Government reaffirms its commitment to fostering a global movement that prioritizes humanity in progress and transformation, ensuring a sustainable future based on dialogue, knowledge exchange, and agile decision-making.
The platform leverages resources, data, and insights from over 2,500 international experts and 450 global sources to build government strategies grounded in science and practical application.
The Annual Meetings of the Global Future Councils 2025 engage more than 700 experts from 93 countries in 37 councils discussing key themes: Technology, Economy, Society, Environment, Governance, and Health, marking a milestone in the 16-year partnership between the UAE Government and the WEF, engaging more than 12,000 officials and experts worldwide.