United Arab Emirates – The second Global Government Regulatory Forum, under the title “Global Government Regulatory and Justice Forum,” was held as part of the World Government Summit 2026, running in Dubai from 3 to 5 February, 2026.

The forum, which is the outcome of a collaboration between the General Secretariat of the UAE Cabinet and the Ministry of Justice, brought together heads of states, ministers, government leaders in legislation, justice, and policymaking, as well as members of the academia and experts in advanced technologies.

The forum seeks to advance international dialogue on regulatory and legal work, anticipate the future of legislative and justice ecosystems, and explore opportunities to shape future-ready legal frameworks and public policies that balance innovation with the protection of rights.

It aims to discuss redesigning laws, justice systems and policies to be flexible and effective in a rapidly changing world. Additionally, the Forum will address the role of governments in times of transition and the role of regulations as a tool to enable the rule of law.

Her Excellency Maryam bint Ahmed Al Hammadi, Minister of State and Secretary General of the UAE Cabinet, inaugurated the Forum with her opening remarks, in which she outlined a comprehensive vision to link regulatory work, justice and innovation and build a unified and integrated ecosystem.

Her Excellency stressed: “The world needs integrated regulatory frameworks and judicial ecosystems that anticipate the future and balance innovation, justice and the rule of law. The core challenge in the intelligent age is the ability of governments to transform these frameworks into an institutional practice that produces a tangible impact.”

His Excellency Abdullah bin Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi, UAE Minister of Justice, addressed the importance of effective justice in his keynote speech. He emphasized that modernizing the legislative and judicial ecosystem is essential to strengthening the rule of law and transforming legislation from written texts into effective judicial practices. He highlighted the role of digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and modern technologies in enhancing the efficiency of the justice system, improving access, and safeguarding human rights and public trust.

He highlighted the role of digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and modern technologies in enhancing the efficiency of the justice system, improving access, and safeguarding human rights and public trust.

The forum featured a keynote address by Her Excellency Dr. Vjosa Osmani Sadriu, President of the Republic of Kosovo, titled “Nations in Transition: From Legislative Reform to Reinvention.” In her address, H.E. discussed the role of government leaders in transitioning from traditional regulatory reform to institutional reinvention and building legal frameworks capable of addressing global changes.

This was followed by a second keynote address delivered by Her Excellency Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, President of the Republic of North Macedonia, with the title “Legislation as an Enabler of the Rule of Law.” Her address emphasized the role of legislation in driving reform and stability, building public trust, and fostering flexible legal frameworks that support economic and social development. She highlighted the importance of embedding justice and the rule of law, ensuring legislation is implementation-ready, and delivering lasting legal and societal impact.

The Forum sessions featured a high-level academic contribution, with Professor Sheila Jasanoff, Pforzheimer Professor of Science and Technology Studies at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, delivering a presentation titled “Inside the Minds that Shape Your Tomorrow”. In her presentation, she explored how leadership visions can transform into impactful decisions, ideas into systems, and the future into a reality shaped today by the minds that will shape tomorrow.

The forum’s first panel discussion, “A Journey Behind the Scenes of Legislation and the Path to Justice,” featured Her Excellency Paata Salia, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Georgia; Her Excellency Majda Adzovic, Minister of Public Works of the Republic of Montenegro; and Her Excellency Maria Ejchart, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Poland. The panelists explored various aspects of the legislative and policy-making process, along with implementation mechanisms, with the ultimate goal of ensuring justice that is practical, effective, and consistently applied.

The second session, titled “Who Owns Innovation Tomorrow?”, discussed the future of intellectual property in the age of AI. Speakers included Her Excellency Savannah Maziya, Minister of Information and Communications Technology of the Kingdom of Eswatini; His Excellency Professor Blade Nzimande, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of the Republic of South Africa; Mr. Luis Moreno Ocampo, the Founding Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court; and Mr. Mark Lewis, Chief of Public-Sector Partnerships at the World Justice Project. The session examined how intellectual property should define ownership of technology-driven innovations, the evolving concepts of authorship, ownership, and value in AI-generated works, and the mechanisms for resolving related disputes in the context of global trends.

The forum concluded with a session titled “How Can the Rule of Law Adapt with Global Transformation?” featuring Her Excellency Daniella Misail-Nichitin, Minister of internal affairs of the Republic of Moldova, and His Excellency James Conrad Jean Camille, Minister for Homeland Security and Civil Affairs in the Republic of Seychelles, along with Mr. Arturo Bris, Director of IMD World Competitiveness Centre,, and Mr. Prateek Sibal, Programme Specialist at the Digital Policies and Digital Transformation Section at UNESCO. The session discussed ways to build flexible and modern legal ecosystems that advance the rule of law and safeguard human rights while keeping pace with rapid global transformations.

The Global Government Regulatory and Justice Forum reflects a unified vision for legislative innovation, the rule of law, and digital transformation within the justice ecosystem. It reinforces the UAE’s role as a global hub for dialogue and international cooperation, supporting the development of more effective governments, improving regulatory readiness for implementation, and driving lasting legal and societal impact.