The United Arab Emirates took part in the annual meeting of the Academic Advisory Council on Emerging Technologies and Future Industries of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), held in Geneva under the chairmanship of ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, with the participation of 26 global experts from leading universities and international research institutions.
The UAE was represented at the meeting by Dr. Huda Al Khazmie, member of the ITU's Academic Advisory Council on Emerging Technologies and Future Industries and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Translation, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at New York University Abu Dhabi.
In her address during the meeting, Dr. Al Khazmie affirmed that the coming economic transformations will be driven by integrated ecosystems combining technology, investment, policy, and innovation. She noted that the economies of the future will rely on multi-sector growth led by emerging industries, advanced technologies, and new investment models, in ways that enhance competitiveness and achieve sustainable economic growth for future generations.
She said that economic competitiveness in the coming decades will be measured by countries' ability to convert emerging technologies into new industries, growth engines, and quality investments, stressing that the UAE's participation in these international platforms reflects its growing role in helping to shape global orientations related to technology and the economies of the future, and in supporting strategic frameworks that foster innovation and build a more resilient and sustainable global economy.
International events
The Council is considered one of the most prominent international advisory platforms linking scientific knowledge with policymaking, contributing to the development of visions and orientations related to emerging technologies, future industries, and future economies through supporting international dialogue on innovation and policy and strengthening multilateral cooperation.
The meeting took place within the framework of Geneva Digital Week, which hosted a number of major international events, including the AI for Good Summit — the leading UN platform for harnessing artificial intelligence in service of humanity and achieving sustainable development goals — alongside the Global Dialogue on AI Governance, with the participation of government leaders, international organizations, the private sector, and academic communities.
The event holds special significance as it brings together in a single platform the most prominent decision-makers and experts concerned with the future of technology and the digital economy. Geneva Digital Week, the AI for Good Summit, and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance attracted thousands of participants from around the world, including heads of international organizations, ministers, policymakers, technology company leaders, investors, experts, and academics. The summit is also organized in partnership with more than 50 UN agencies and organizations, making it the foremost international platform for discussing the future of artificial intelligence and its economic and developmental applications.
The events were attended by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who underscored the importance of strengthening international cooperation to ensure that artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are deployed in ways that serve sustainable development and benefit communities. He warned that the pace of AI development has outstripped the capacity of traditional regulatory frameworks to keep up, calling for the building of a more inclusive and effective global system for governing these technologies.
Extensive discussions
The meeting held extensive discussions on global priorities in the fields of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, space technologies, advanced digital infrastructure, innovation ecosystems, and policies supporting the building of emerging industries and strengthening future economies, as key drivers of long-term economic growth.
The UAE's participation comes at a time of growing importance for emerging technologies as a primary driver of the global economy, with estimates from international institutions indicating that artificial intelligence and advanced technologies will reshape key sectors over the coming decade — including industry, energy, financial services, healthcare, and space — making the discussions taking place in Geneva part of a global dialogue that is shaping the contours of growth, competitiveness, and investment in the future.