JEDDAH – The “Government Summit”, the first of its kind regional initiative in Dubai, called Tuesday for a “sustainable and inclusive”' development model for the Gulf countries, stressing human resources development as a key priority. Addressing an audience of over 2,500 regional and international delegates, Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, said that evaluating the performance of the region's educational system against other competitive economies, and acting upon the needs of the younger generation will determine long-term economic success. Brown said that the key priorities in development must be centered on not only investing in education but also measuring its output and performance, as well as a focus on innovation and technological expertise, and ensuring that the opportunities are widely spread. Underlining the need to further strengthen the educational sector, he said: “It is important to tap the potential of every child and this can be achieved only by providing the best basic general education to all.” Lauding the successful strategy of the UAE outlined in its Vision 2021 to become one of the best nations in the world, Brown said that the key development challenge for the region is to identify “how we can more effectively deliver government services in the way the public wants, by personalizing the services and assuring individual satisfaction.” Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in his inaugural speech, said “the role of governments is to work toward ensuring the equality, justice and happiness of people.” He reminded government officials that they are serving people, and are entrusted with the authority to help them, not control them. He said that the future of government will be service-intensive, much like the hospitality and aviation services offering support to the public 24x7. He said a one-stop shop for government services is the future. He further said that it is important to take risks, as challenges are a fact of life. “You cannot stay idle simply because there are risks involved. Ever since I took a leadership role, I have encountered several challenges. But I never gave up and I never bowed to them.” On leadership, Sheikh Mohammed said that while most leaders have inborn talent, it must also be continuously refined through education and practice. He said that the ideas he executes come from the people, explaining that the success of the UAE owes to the deep affection and love by the people for the country. Reem Al Hashemi, UAE Minister of State, said the UAE's Vision 2021 serves as a roadmap in defining the priorities of the government to promote development with a focus on overall societal welfare. “At the heart of all our development endeavors are our people. We regularly review our performance to ensure that we consistently make progress.” Yves Leterme, Deputy Secretary General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD), said that debates on development must shift from mere measurement of GDP to a number of other parameters including healthcare, education, gender equality and governance, among others. “Sustainable development is also about social cohesion, investing in research and development, and creating a model of growth that contributes to the happiness of the people.” Jennifer Blanke, lead economist and senior director and Head of the Global Competitiveness Network, World Economic Forum, underlined the fundamental concepts of economic competitiveness that includes not only fundamental aspects such as healthcare, education and technology readiness but also a focus on innovation and business sophistication. Explaining that the government has a role to play in driving all these pillars, she said that a multi-stakeholder approach is imperative in the education sector, linking business to universities so that the educational sector reflects the needs of the economy, and reiterated the need to strengthen a culture of entrepreneurship, which will drive demand for innovation. – SG/QJM
