His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Excellency Luis Abinader Corona, President of the Dominican Republic, witnessed the World Governments Summit’s announcement of plans to host the WGS-Latin America Regional Dialogue in the Dominican Republic by the end of 2026.
To formalise organisational aspects of the Dialogue, His Excellency Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Governments Summit; and His Excellency Víctor Bisonó Haza, Minister of Housing, Habitat and Buildings, and President of the Centre for Public Policy Analysis, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) during the World Governments Summit 2026, which concluded today.
According to the MoU, the World Governments Summit regional dialogue will be hosted outside the UAE, with the 2026 edition planned in the Dominican Republic in Latin America. The move aims to drive knowledge dialogues and establish the Republic as a strategic platform and bridge connecting the Middle East and Latin America.
Expanded agenda
This new regional gathering in the Dominican Republic introduces an expanded agenda and greater scope, aimed at deepening integration between Latin America and the Middle East, promoting investment from the UAE, and strengthening dialogue among senior government authorities, the private sector, decision-makers, investors, international organisations and global experts.
Such initiatives contribute to fostering strategic cooperation between both regions; promoting investment flows from the UAE to Latin America; exchanging best practices in public policy; and debating the major challenges and opportunities related to development, governance, and the global economy.
The partnership is aligned with the shared vision of the two nations, and the directives of His Excellency President Luis Abinader Corona to position the Dominican Republic as a regional hub for dialogue, investment, and international cooperation, leveraging its institutional stability, economic openness, and strategic location in the hemisphere.
Notable precedent
In 2025, the Dominican Republic set a notable precedent by hosting the first World Governments Summit regional dialogue held outside the UAE, becoming the first host country in Latin America for an initiative of this nature, introducing a strategic agenda and a clear direction to achieve tangible impact in the region.
The World Governments Summit signed an MoU with the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CAPP) in 2025, establishing a framework for institutional cooperation focused on the development of dialogue initiatives, public policy analysis, and international engagement. Under this MoU, the World Governments Summit Regional Dialogue in the Dominican Republic would be carried out in coordination with CAPP, strengthening the technical, academic, and public policy components of the event.
