NEW YORK — During a high-level event held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, organized by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in cooperation with the Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations, participants highlighted the importance of harnessing knowledge tools and skills, including monitoring indicators and frameworks, to accelerate progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The event took place on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 80), bringing together representatives of governments, knowledge leaders, and strategic partners to discuss the realities of the Arab region, which faces a mix of challenges and opportunities related to economic diversification, technological advancement, climate change, and a large and growing youth population.

The event was opened by H.E. Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab, Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations; Dr. Abdallah Al Dardari, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States; and H.E. Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation. The speakers underscored the importance of developing innovative indicators and frameworks for future skills development as fundamental pillars of inclusive and sustainable growth, stressing the role of regional and international cooperation in ensuring that development efforts are truly comprehensive.

Dr. Abdallah Al Dardari stated: "With five years left to deliver on the 2030 Agenda, our region needs to accelerate. This gathering brings together governments, knowledge leaders, and strategic partners, foremost among them the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, under the joint organization of the Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations and UNDP. Together we are turning data, skills, and innovation into practical solutions that help countries build more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable societies. UNDP is proud to stand with our partners to ensure that the perspectives of young people, women, and communities, often left behind, shape the way forward. The spirit of regional ownership, coupled with global collaboration, can power a smarter and more equitable future for the Arab States and beyond.”

For his part, H.E. Jamal bin Huwaireb emphasized: “There is an urgent need for broad regional cooperation and the exchange of experiences and expertise among countries and institutions,so that our Arab region can confront growing knowledge challenges while seizing the unprecedented opportunities for innovation and growth offered by the technological revolution.”

He further explained: “The results of our projects at MBRF, in partnership with UNDP, demonstrate that investing in accurate knowledge indicators and benchmarks, such as the Global Knowledge Index and Future of Knowledge Foresight Reports, is the most effective way to support governments and decision makers in formulating strategies for building knowledge-based economies. The success of the Future Skills Academy is a prime example, empowering thousands of young Arabs to acquire valuable skills through extensive educational programmes, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and enhancing the employability of future generations in a rapidly evolving job market. Our partnership with UNDP reflects our commitment to playing a key role in transforming knowledge into a practical driver of development, enabling our societies to achieve sustainable global competitiveness.”

The event examined three key themes: knowledge policies and frameworks for building future skills and capabilities; data-driven monitoring frameworks, development indicators, measurement tools, and reporting mechanisms; and the importance of regional cooperation to ensure that knowledge tools and capacity-building frameworks align with local priorities. It also reviewed the outcomes of the Future Skills Academy, whose first phase successfully developed the skills of approximately 10,000 citizens in the Arab States. These participants collectively completed more than 15,000 educational programmes and accumulated over 114,000 learning hours. In addition, more than 13,000 learners from across the Arab States region are currently developing their skills to prepare for a job market that increasingly values competencies over academic degrees.

The event concluded by underscoring the importance of regional ownership in developing knowledge tools and capacity-building frameworks, and by calling for the integration of multisectoral efforts to achieve a more sustainable and equitable future, one that will positively impact the Arab region and the world at large.

In this context, the organizers announced that the 10th Knowledge Summit will take place on 19-20 November 2025, in Dubai, under the theme “Knowledge Markets: Developing Sustainable Communities.” This year’s summit will mark a decade of the event, which has become a global platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and policy engagement, exploring the role of knowledge in shaping the future of sustainable development and empowering individuals and communities through innovation and learning.