This week, Club de Madrid actively contributed to high-level discussions at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, reinforcing our commitment to global development, democratic leadership, and multilateral cooperation.
Our Members Yves Leterme, Prime Minister of Belgium (2008, 2009–2011), and Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga, President of Bolivia (2001–2002), participated in the Ministerial Roundtable Advancing the Future of Global Development, alongside ministers and senior officials from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe. The discussions focused on inclusive development, institutional reform, and pathways to accelerate progress toward global development goals.
In the closed-door roundtable Leadership Beyond the Mandate, organised in partnership with the World Governments Summit and the UAE Government Leaders Programme, former heads of state and emerging leaders reflected on leadership in times of systemic change and the shared responsibility for Global Public Goods. The session was moderated by our Secretary-General María Elena Agüero.
President Quiroga also contributed to the session “BRICS: Financing Resilience and Sustainable Growth”, addressing evolving development finance models in a multipolar world, while the Summit’s plenary programme featured José Manuel Ramos-Horta, President of Timor-Leste (2007–2012; 2022–), Club de Madrid Member and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, sharing insights on diplomacy, peacebuilding, and humanitarian leadership.
On the sidelines of the Summit, Club de Madrid met with Carlos Ramiro Martínez, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, to discuss initiatives to strengthen democracy across the region. Attending the meeting were Yves Leterme, Jorge Quiroga, Secretary-General María Elena Agüero, and Jorge Rafael Archila Ruiz, Ambassador of Guatemala to the UAE.
Additionally, a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with the World Governments Summit to advance international cooperation, multilateralism, and development. The agreement was signed by María Elena Agüero and Mohamed AlSharhan, Executive Director of WGS, in the presence of Yves Leterme, Jorge Quiroga, and H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, and Vice Chairman of WGS.
We are grateful to all participants and partners for fostering dialogue and collaboration towards more resilient, inclusive, and democratic systems of global governance.
