DUBAI, (Pakistan Point News - 14th Oct, 2025) 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, Tuesday14th October in Dubai, in parallel with the Annual Meetings of the Global Future Councils and Cybersecurity 2025.
The event marks a new milestone in the UAE’s ongoing efforts to enhance government readiness and establish a pioneering model for shaping a future grounded in knowledge, adaptability, and foresight.
In line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to launch the new strategic cycle of the UAE Government and adopt the concept of strategic intelligence in planning, the second edition of the ‘We the UAE 2031 Strategic Intelligence Councils’ was launched, focusing on Strategic Optionality and the importance of adapting to global changes to enhance future readiness.
The second edition of the ‘We the UAE 2031 Strategic Intelligence Councils’ – the first initiative of its kind in the world – focused on ‘Flexibility and Diversification of Strategic Options’, an approach considered to be one a key engine for developing government planning and enhancing the UAE’s readiness to face rapid changes.
The UAE Government continues to reinforce its leadership in implementing methods to forecast the future and transform challenges into opportunities. This serves to advance the objectives of the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision, which is built on four key pillars: fostering a more prosperous society on the global stage; consolidating the country’s position as a leading hub for the new economy; strengthening the UAE’s role as a key advocate of international cooperation; and developing a more pioneering and advanced system of governance. These efforts aim to further strengthen the UAE’s standing as an active global partner and a dynamic, influential, and attractive economic centre.
The current session of the Councils brings together more than 100 decision makers, thought leaders, experts, and officials from government entities, alongside private sector leaders in the UAE, who collectively represent around 80 entities spanning the public and private sectors, as well as academic institutions.
The event presents a collaborative platform that seeks to analyse key trends shaping the global landscape, and transform emerging risks into strategic choices and actionable scenarios aligned with the objectives of the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision, which strengthen the country’s capacity to lead global transformations and ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
Huda Al Hashimi, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs, said, “Guided by its visionary leadership, the UAE continues to adopt a proactive approach centred on transforming challenges into opportunities, and strives to develop adaptive government systems capable of thriving in an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving global environment. This ultimately enhances its competitiveness and reinforces its position as a leader on the world stage.”
“The UAE is driven by its forward-looking vision and has entered a new era of governance founded on strategic intelligence – an approach that transcends traditional analysis and planning frameworks,” she added. “This integrated institutional model enables governments to convert uncertainty into a source of resilience and sustainability, while maintaining confidence and readiness amid global transformations.”
Al Hashimi noted that strategic decision-making has become the cornerstone of a government’s ability to devise flexible and effective responses. “Nations that have confidence in their vision are best positioned to shape their future by developing robust foresight capabilities to anticipate emerging trends and seize opportunities for growth and development,” she explained.
The ‘We the UAE 2031 Strategic Intelligence’ initiative reflects the UAE’s commitment to fostering an institutional culture grounded in lifelong learning and diversifying solutions. It prioritises the assessment of emerging risks as potential opportunities to shape the nation’s future, while examining the capabilities required to navigate a range of scenarios, and developing practical solutions to strengthen national strategies.
The initiative is structured around seven specialised councils, each with a specific focus area, namely: 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.
The launch of the We the UAE 2031 Strategic Intelligence Councils featured a main session titled ‘Strategic Optionality: Designing Governments That Thrive in Uncertainty’, presented by Rudolph Lohmeyer, Senior Partner and Head of National Transformations Institute at Kearney Inc. The session highlighted the importance of adopting strategic choices that enhance governments’ readiness to respond to unforeseen challenges.
Moreover, 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. It brought together Mohammed Al Hawi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Investment, and Geraldine Wessing, Chief Political Analyst at Shell.
Participants discussed the need for governments and businesses to adopt more flexible approaches to policy development. They emphasised that building partnerships between the public and private sectors offer a key pathway to developing innovative, practical solutions that strengthen national economies’ readiness amid rapid global transformations.
The We the UAE 2031 Strategic Intelligence Councils programme was designed as a multi-level journey that combines theoretical expertise with real-world experience. It channels key discussion points into a set of focus areas, including identifying global threats and emerging indicators reshaping our world, converting challenges into clear solution pathways, and determining the capabilities required to address them. The Councils also propose actionable options aligned with the objectives of the ‘We the UAE 2031’ Vision.
The Councils focus on evaluating emerging risks as future tipping points, exploring the capabilities needed to enable various future scenarios, and transforming analytical insight into actionable strategic options. These efforts aim to strengthen national strategies and enhance the UAE’s global competitiveness.
By organising the We the UAE 2031 Strategic Intelligence Councils alongside the Annual Meetings of the Global Future Councils and Cybersecurity 2025, the UAE Government reaffirms its solid commitment to fostering a comprehensive global movement that places humanity at the centre of progress and transformation. This approach ensures a sustainable and inclusive future built on constructive dialogue, knowledge exchange, and agile, effective decision-making.
The ‘We the UAE 2031 Strategic Intelligence’ platform leverages specialised resources, data, and insights from more than 2,500 international experts and over 450 global sources to build government strategies grounded in science and practical application.
The Annual Meetings of the Global Future Councils 2025 bring together more than 700 experts and specialists from 93 countries in 37 councils to discuss six key themes: Technology, Economy, Society, Environment, Governance, and Health.
The meetings mark a new milestone in the 16-year-long strategic partnership between the UAE Government and the World Economic Forum, during which nearly 900 Global Future Councils have been held, engaging more than 12,000 officials and experts from around the world.
