His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, inaugurated the World Crisis and Emergency Management Summit (WCEMS) 2025 The two-day summit is being held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) under the theme "Together Towards Building Global Resilience," with record international participation in the summit’s history.
Abudhabi,TNM: His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, inaugurated the World Crisis and Emergency Management Summit (WCEMS) 2025, organized by the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA), under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Advisor.
The two-day summit is being held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) under the theme "Together Towards Building Global Resilience," with record international participation in the summit’s history.
H.E. Sheikh Nahyan also inaugurated the Crisis Management Technologies Exhibition and the Generation Readiness Exhibition, held concurrently with the summit. The opening ceremony was attended by distinguished local and international government officials, decision-makers, experts, academics, representatives of international organizations and technology companies, as well as global pioneers in crisis, emergency, disaster management, and humanitarian relief.
During his keynote address, titled "Global Resilience: Protecting Future Generations," H.E. Sheikh Nahyan remarked: "It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the World Crisis and Emergency Management Summit 2025, which convenes with the noble purpose of saving lives and safeguarding the well-being of individuals and communities."
He continued: "I extend my heartfelt gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Advisor, for his generous patronage of this summit. My thanks also go to the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority for organizing this significant event, providing a prestigious international platform for professionals to exchange insights, knowledge, and best practices in this vital field."
H.E. Sheikh Nahyan emphasized: "In the UAE, we take great pride in the efficiency and effectiveness of our national strategies for disaster management, whether natural or human-made. NCEMA, in collaboration with national partners, continuously develops policies and frameworks to ensure that national plans are implemented at the highest possible standards."
Commending Abu Dhabi’s hosting of this global summit, he added: "This summit is held under the wise leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, who is deeply committed to empowering individuals and institutions, enhancing performance, and building bridges of regional and international cooperation."
He noted further: "His Highness has consistently affirmed that a prosperous society is founded upon security and safety, underscoring that active community support is crucial during times of need. We proudly acknowledge that our society in the UAE has demonstrated remarkable responsiveness to its people’s needs. This summit vividly embodies His Highness’s vision and the UAE’s unwavering commitment to protecting lives and enhancing community safety—not just locally, but across the region and the world."
He also stated: "A successful society is one that prepares effectively for challenges, whether arising from human actions or natural phenomena. This summit enhances our understanding of the threats posed by climate change, pandemics, wars, famines, cyberattacks, terrorism, and other risks. Moreover, it empowers us to harness advanced technologies to address these threats within a framework of regional and international cooperation."
H.E. Sheikh Nahyan highlighted the importance of core human values such as tolerance and solidarity in confronting crises, stressing: "Countries must support one another, institutions must care for their employees, and individuals must act selflessly toward each other."
He expressed optimism, stating: "I am optimistic about our collective capacity to overcome challenges—not merely from positive thinking, but from a firm belief that future success relies on responses anchored in the highest human values."
He continued: "It is encouraging to witness nations around the world learning from one another’s successful experiences and striving to build their capacities to make swift, informed, and effective decisions, thereby sustaining the trust and engagement of their people."
H.E. Sheikh Nahyan also noted that crises provide people with opportunities to reassess their values and principles, emphasizing that personal and societal resilience is crucial for future adaptation. He said: "Resilience enables us to adapt to an ever-changing future, reflecting the positive energy within each individual to genuinely impact others’ lives."
He highlighted essential human skills necessary for confronting challenges, including communication, organization, dialogue, conflict resolution, negotiation, opportunity creation, empathy, and teamwork—skills that collectively strengthen resilience and foster more adaptive communities.
In conclusion, H.E. Sheikh Nahyan remarked: "Once again, I extend my profound gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his unwavering support of this summit. I also thank all participants for their noble commitment to supporting communities and enhancing response mechanisms. This summit provides you with an exceptional opportunity to shape a meaningful and impactful agenda in this critical field, and I wish you all success."
H.E. Ali Saeed Al Neyadi, Chairman of NCEMA, stated that the summit underscores the UAE's prominent global role in emergency preparedness, inspired by the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. He stressed that cross-border challenges require unified, forward-thinking solutions, positioning the summit as a pivotal global platform for sharing knowledge, building international partnerships, and strengthening integrated crisis response frameworks worldwide.
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Global Capabilities Thematic Track
Day one commenced with the “Global Capabilities” thematic track. H.E. Dr. Saif Al Dhaheri, Director of the National Operations Centre at NCEMA, presented a speech entitled “Global Capabilities: Unlocking the Future” emphasizing the importance of resilient systems that foster innovation and ensure continuity of vital services during emergencies. H.E. Dr. Al Dhaheri highlighted that drone usage in disaster response is expected to increase twentyfold by 2028, while 70% of emergency decisions will be AI-supported by 2030.
Keynote presentations were delivered by H.E. Kamaladdin Heydarov, Minister of Emergency Situations of Azerbaijan, Dr. Fabio Ciciliano, Head of Italy’s National Civil Protection Department, and Carlos Torres Vidal, Director of the Incident and Emergency Centre at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), each underscoring integrated global cooperation and community engagement as fundamental to crisis readiness and effective response.
Four strategic thematic tracks draw the world’s brightest minds
Bridging Potential Thematic Track
The “Bridging Potential” track opened with Fahad Butti Al Muhairi, Director of Safety and Prevention at NCEMA, who presented “Bridging Potential: Seeking common ground”. Al Muhairi articulated the global responsibility inherent in proactive crisis management, emphasizing international cooperation for shared security.
Notable speakers included Pete Gaynor, former Administrator of FEMA, who discussed leadership excellence in crisis management, Killian Kleinschmidt, a humanitarian expert, who explored crises as catalysts for positive transformation, and Lars Sudmann, a global strategist, who concluded with a motivational session on strategic leadership in crisis situations.
