Mohammed Al Gergawi: Governments that deeply read the past are capable of designing the future
His Excellency Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Government Summit Organization, stressed during the opening speech of the World Government Summit that the world today is going through a pivotal stage in human civilization, reviewing the past 25 years to anticipate the next 25 years.
His Excellency said: “On December 31, 1999, the world went through a period of fear of the collapse of systems and the communications sector, and in the first minute of the year 2000, the fear ended and the world breathed a sigh of relief, after that nightmare ended.”
He continued: “The world’s fear was due to technology, and what the world did not expect was that fear would come from the Tora Bora caves in Afghanistan, not from computers. It began with the events of September 11, followed by the invasion of Afghanistan and then Iraq. In 2008, we witnessed the global financial crisis, then the events of the Arab Spring, followed by the Corona pandemic crisis in 2020, and then we witnessed the Ukraine war and then the Gaza war, which recorded huge human losses. The past 25 years have been stormy with their events, but they have also been amazing with their transformations.”
Transformations
His Excellency Mohammed Al Gergawi added: “The world’s population has increased from 6 billion in 2000 to 8.2 billion today, and international trade has grown from $7 trillion to $13 trillion in 2024. The world has moved from the dominance of industrial and traditional companies such as oil companies, heavy industries and financial services to the forefront of .technology companies and digital platforms
The Chairman of the World Government Summit Foundation added: “In 2000, the number of Internet users was about 7% of the world’s population, and today it is 60%, with 5 billion people using the Internet. The value of digital currencies 25 years ago was “zero” and today the value of digital currencies has reached 3 trillion dollars. In 2000, we only saw wars, technology and military robots in science fiction movies, and today we see them in reality. 25 years ago, the world was only afraid of nuclear wars, but now it is afraid of cyber and biological wars in addition to nuclear wars.”
What if wars and conflicts were not humanity’s choice?
His Excellency identified 4 scenes that were formed as a result of these decisions and said: “The first scene is what if wars and conflicts were not humanity’s choice during the past 25 years, as the world lost more than two million people as a result of these wars and about 120 million refugees were displaced.
As for the second scene, what if the economy was not the primary criterion for measuring the well-being of peoples? Over the past 25 years, studies have indicated that the largest economies in the world are not the happiest, nor the most stable and prosperous. Does economic growth alone reflect the well-being of societies in a world that is moving away from societal values and family ties?
There are 280 million people suffering from depression around the world and the world costs a trillion dollars annually as a result of these diseases. What if governments focused their policies on the quality of growth as well as the quantity of growth? What if measuring well-being covered social, environmental and health dimensions such as psychological care, preserving the family and promoting the system of noble values in societies.
As for the fourth scenario, what if humanitarian motives led the global agenda over the past 25 years? Although we have achieved many accomplishments in lifting humanity from poverty, ignorance, and disease, there are still about 630 million people living below the poverty line, and according to studies, we will need $800 billion annually to eliminate hunger, disease, and ignorance. We in the UAE allocate 1.5% of our GDP annually to relief and support.
His Excellency said: “The decision is in our hands, and the changes that the world has witnessed were not just passing events, but rather accumulated lessons, and governments that read the past deeply are able to design the future.”
Future Expectations
His Excellency Mohammed Al Gergawi reviewed the most important expectations and visions for the next 25 years, saying: “25 years from now, the world population will reach 10 billion people, and most of the growth will be in Asia and Africa. How will this affect the labor market and consumption in 2050?
More than 20% of the world’s population will be over 60, compared to 10% in 2000. Are our health, social and retirement systems ready for this? In 2025, more than 20 billion robots will serve humans. What impact will this have on our social and psychological lifestyles and on our labor markets?
He continued: “What the next 25 years will bring in terms of development will surpass everything that humanity has witnessed in the history of its civilization. Artificial intelligence has not yet been born, it is like a fetus in the process of development. We are entering a new phase in human history that requires new tools, a new methodology, and a new vision.
It requires decisions from governments, organizations, companies, and individuals. The most important lesson that history teaches us is that what is coming is different from what has come before, and the economic and technical changes will also be completely different. The role of governments is to prepare for this, because what is coming is a new history that will be written with new rules.”
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