Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), affirmed the UAE's key role in facilitating international collaboration and showcasing Emirati expertise on the world stage at the 54th edition of the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2024 in Davos, Switzerland.
This participation marks a historic milestone for the UAE, representing the third-largest international presence and the country's most significant involvement to date in the forum.
Belhoul stressed the importance of forging international partnerships to realise ambitious visions for transformative change across society, driven by advanced technology. He highlighted DFF’s commitment to partnering with governmental, private, legislative, and research entities to launch influential global initiatives aimed at enhancing quality of life.
The UAE Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (UAE C4IR), a joint venture between DFF and WEF, conducted a workshop focused on artificial intelligence and intellectual property rights. Belhoul along with 15 global technology experts, addressed challenges amidst rapid technological advancements and explored the development of legislation to protect user rights and privacy.
The CEO of DFF also spoke at the "Accelerating Metaverse Governance" panel session, where he presented DFF's initiatives in metaverse adoption and shed light on the importance of establishing robust governance structures. The discussion featured notable figures, including Abdullah Al Swaha, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Communications and Information Technology; Siu Yat of Animoca Brands; Brittan Heller from the Atlantic Council; and Nathan Tibbits from Qualcomm.
Belhoul participated in the "MENA’s Economic Dilemma: Reforming and Uncertainty" panel session, analysing the impact of regional and global shifts on Arab economies. Panellists included Rania Al Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation; Nadia Fattah Alaoui, Morocco's Minister of Economy and Finance; Mazen Darwazah of Hikma Pharmaceuticals; and Hussein Sajwani from DAMAC Properties.
In another key engagement, Khalfan Belhoul participated in a timely panel discussion focused on the role of universities in the research and development ecosystem. This session explored collaborations with government entities and private sector firms to turn research into scalable solutions for the world’s most difficult challenges in sustainability and AI. Panellists included Li Zhang of Envision Group, Lars Stenqvist of Volvo Group, Monica Lisle from the Swiss Bayer Foundation, and Sarah Reisinger of the DSM-Firmenich Foundation.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
