Mohammed bin Rashid visits exhibition featuring top government innovation projects at WGS 2025

Photo : Dubai Government Media Office

Governments around the world are using new and creative ideas to improve the lives of people. Some of these success stories were featured at the ‘Edge of Government’ exhibition, held as part of the World Governments Summit 2025 in Dubai.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, visited the exhibition. He was joined by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, along with other high-ranking officials. During his visit, Sheikh Mohammed saw some of the most outstanding innovations developed by governments worldwide.

Sheikh Mohammed believes that innovation is the key to improving people’s lives and shaping a better future. He emphasized that governments must take responsibility for bringing new ideas to life and making innovation a part of their culture. The UAE has always focused on innovation, which has helped the country achieve remarkable success in just a few decades.

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He also praised the projects displayed at the ‘Edge of Government’ exhibit, saying that recognizing global innovation helps encourage creativity. The UAE wants to inspire governments, institutions, and individuals to come up with smart solutions that benefit their communities.

The exhibition, organized by the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation and supported by First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), is called ‘Butterfly Effect.’ It visually explores how today’s decisions can impact the future. The goal is to encourage visitors to think differently and find creative solutions to global challenges. The exhibition includes 10 outstanding projects chosen from more than 150 innovations worldwide. These projects come from 19 countries, including the USA, Kenya, India, China, the UK, Australia, and many more. The best project will receive the Edge of Government Award, based on criteria like uniqueness, the ability to be used in other countries, and its overall impact.

One of the projects showcased was the Digital Food Twin Model from the USA, which focuses on food security using satellite images and data to track food movement across the country. It helps identify weak points in the system, such as risks from extreme weather, ensuring better food supply management. Another initiative, Helmets Labeling Crops, launched in collaboration with NASA, uses helmet-mounted cameras to gather agricultural data. This helps farmers in remote areas determine the best planting times and detect disease outbreaks early, improving food production. The Palau Pledge is an initiative from the island nation of Palau that created a special immigration visa requiring tourists to sign a pledge to protect the environment and respect local culture. This helps balance tourism with ecological preservation.

Italy presented Volontari SOS, a project inspired by a rock concert management platform that was adapted for emergency response coordination. After experiencing major floods, the system was used to coordinate emergency volunteers, and it is now a model that can be applied worldwide. Australia showcased Dragonfly Thinking, an AI-driven project inspired by the way dragonflies see the world from multiple angles. This project helps governments tackle complex problems by providing a 360-degree view of issues, assisting in areas like cybersecurity, climate change, and economic stability.

The UK-based Fridgeconomics project analyzes the contents of refrigerators in different households to study economic trends and consumer behavior. This rapid research method provides quick insights to businesses and policymakers. Meanwhile, the UK and South Korea partnered on a flexible licensing system that simplifies government processes. This system allows unused spaces to be repurposed for temporary businesses, events, and workshops, boosting local economies and community engagement. Another collaboration between the UK and Cameroon focuses on genetic data. Cameroon ratified the UN Nagoya Protocol, ensuring communities benefit from genetic research by developing ethical biotech policies.

The Netherlands introduced a social care reform called Making the Exception the Norm, which allows social workers to bypass strict bureaucratic rules in special cases. This ensures vulnerable people receive timely and customized help. Poland showcased an oyster-based water monitoring system, where scientists discovered that oysters can detect water contamination as accurately as modern technology. This innovation has been developed into a bio-monitoring system for ensuring clean water.

The World Governments Summit 2025 is hosting more than 30 world leaders, 140 government delegations, and representatives from 80 international organizations. The event features 21 forums discussing major global challenges and trends, as well as over 200 sessions with experts, ministers, and decision-makers. In addition, the summit will release 30 strategic reports in collaboration with global research partners. The UAE continues to showcase its commitment to innovation and excellence by hosting this prestigious event, encouraging governments worldwide to embrace creativity and forward-thinking policies to build a brighter future.