DAVOS, 22nd January, 2026 (WAM) — The UAE participated in a high-level international session held during the current edition of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, highlighting the growing global focus on government technology as a core driver of efficient, trusted, and future-ready governance.
The session was held as part of the first GovTech Day, hosted at Ukraine House Davos, and reflected a global shift toward advanced, citizen-centred government models powered by artificial intelligence.
The session brought together senior international leaders and policymakers, including Josephine Teo, Minister for Digital Development and Information of Singapore, Mohamed Bin Taliah, Chief of Government Services of the Government of the United Arab Emirates, and Erkki Keldo, Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry of Estonia.
The discussion was moderated by Andrew Caruana Galizia, Head of Europe and Eurasia at the World Economic Forum, and formed part of broader global dialogues on redefining governance in an era shaped by emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, and geopolitical change.
During the session, Mohamed bin Taliah outlined the UAE’s forward-looking approach to government transformation, emphasising that the future of public services lies not in digitising bureaucracy, but in eliminating it altogether.
He explained that the UAE has moved beyond forms, portals, and approvals toward proactive, data-driven government services that operate seamlessly in the background to deliver outcomes efficiently for citizens and businesses, saving them time and effort.
Bin Taliah highlighted the UAE’s Zero Bureaucracy Programme as a practical example of next-generation governance, noting that artificial intelligence enables governments to anticipate needs, reduce administrative burden, and deliver faster and simpler services. He stressed that as AI becomes embedded across government processes, the role of the civil servant is evolving from managing procedures to defining policy intent, safeguarding trust, and ensuring accountability within intelligent systems that increasingly handle execution.
He further underscored that trust remains the foundation of any successful digital government model. He noted that the UAE’s experience demonstrates how advanced technologies can strengthen public confidence when deployed within clear governance frameworks that prioritise transparency, responsibility, and human oversight.
He added that successful GovTech-driven transformational projects depend not only on technology, but on institutional readiness, regulatory clarity, and a culture of continuous innovation that allows governments to adapt rapidly while maintaining public trust.
Other speakers shared insights from their respective national experiences, highlighting how governments are rethinking public accountability as they transition toward more autonomous and AI-enabled systems.
Participants discussed the importance of redefining governance models to ensure that innovation is matched by ethical safeguards, interoperability, and clear responsibility, particularly as governments move from overseeing human decision-makers to managing intelligent systems embedded in core state functions.
The session also examined the growing convergence between public and private sectors in shaping digital government. Speakers noted that while governments are increasingly reclaiming leadership over digital public services, much of the underlying technology continues to be developed by the private sector. This reality is driving a shift from transactional procurement toward long-term strategic partnerships that enable co-creation, scalability, and sustained public value, while preserving government control and accountability.
Discussions further highlighted the importance of digital public infrastructure as a foundation for resilient and integrated government systems. Participants emphasised that shared standards, interoperable platforms, and scalable models are essential to avoid fragmented IT systems and to enable governments to manage increasingly complex service ecosystems efficiently.
The session also coincided with the launch of new global insights on GovTech investment trends, reinforcing the growing role of the public sector as a key driver of the global digital economy. Speakers agreed that measuring public value is critical to ensuring that digital transformation delivers tangible outcomes, including time savings for citizens, efficiency gains for governments, and improved resilience against risks such as fraud and cybersecurity threats.
