From October 27–31, 2025, Dubai hosted a milestone gathering of global policymakers and senior officials for the executive SDG Leadership Program, an intensive leadership and capacity-building initiative delivered through a powerful partnership between the UAE SDGs Secretariat, the Government Experience Exchange Office (GEEO) under the UAE Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, and the SDG Academy.
The program brought together 32 leaders from 14 countries, united by a shared commitment to accelerating sustainable development and shaping long-term, future-ready national strategies. Designed to help leaders navigate a world defined by complexity, multipolarity, and fast-evolving global challenges, the capacity building training blended leadership development with strategic foresight, innovation, and cross-country collaboration.
Under the theme “Turbocharging Multilateralism for a Sustainable Future,” the program provided a comprehensive blend of high-level insights, hands-on learning, and cross-country exchange. Participants explored leadership for complexity, systems thinking, policy execution, innovation ecosystems, financing for development, and long-term future governance aligned with both the SDGs and the UAE’s emerging XDGs 2045 framework.
A Partnership Model for Global Capacity-Building
The effectiveness of the program stemmed from the synergy among its three organizing partners.
- The UAE SDGs Secretariat provided strategic direction rooted in the UAE’s pioneering experience in government modernization and its proactive approach to the SDGs.
- GEEO enriched the program with deep expertise in public sector transformation and exposure to the UAE’s global leadership in digital government, innovation ecosystems, and global best-practice exchange.
- The SDG Academy delivered core academic and strategic content, leading masterclasses, labs, and simulations that guided participants through real-world leadership challenges.
Together, they created a learning environment that empowered participants not only to reflect on their national priorities, but to begin shaping more integrated and future-oriented development pathways.
As Manal Bin Salem, Executive Director of GEEO, and Shatha Alhashmi, Advisor to the UAE SDGs Secretariat, emphasized, strengthening global cooperation, building capacity and skills, and bridging gaps between efforts are essential because, without such collaboration, humanity’s most pressing challenges cannot be met.
Program Highlights: A Deep Dive Into Leadership for Sustainable Development
Day 1 opened with sessions on leading in a multipolar world, followed by a ministerial case on UAE Vision 2031 and Net Zero 2050.
In the opening keynote, Professor Jeffrey Sachs, President of UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, provided a high-level overview of the SDGs and the global context, reminding delegates that achieving sustainable development depends on four key levels of governance: strategic planning, public and private investment, mobilizing sustainable financing, and regional cooperation.
The SDG Academy’s Patrick Paul Walsh and Amb. David Donoghue facilitated the Leadership Compass Reflection Lab and the Personal Leadership Agenda studio, guiding participants to define priority impact pathways and leadership legacies.
On Day 2, the SDG Academy led the Systems Thinking Masterclass, introducing frameworks for governing interconnected SDG agendas.
The Policy Simulation Lab, led by the SDG Academy’s Kayla Colyard, immersed participants in a real-time decision-making scenario testing agility, strategic clarity, and cross-sector coordination focused on how capacity building and skill development is a multi sector approach.
Day 3 integrated innovation and financing, beginning with a site visit to the MBR Solar Park and an Innovation Ecosystems Briefing.
The SDG Academy’s Finance Strategy Lab equipped leaders with tools to mobilize capital for SDG delivery, followed by a Global Deal Sprint where teams co-designed partnership models for scalable impact.
On Day 4, participants explored future-governance frameworks with the keynote “From SDGs to XDGs.” A site visit to the Museum of the Future enriched discussions on foresight and digital transformation. SDG Academy-led foresight sessions, including the Vision Lab: Mapping Scenarios for 2045 which helped countries craft long-term roadmaps aligned with AI, climate transitions, and human development.
H.E. Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, emphasized to delegates the importance of three shared opportunities for advancing global progress: bringing tested initiatives to build confidence and attract financing, ensuring open participation to foster ownership and legitimacy, and leveraging existing frameworks like the Pact of the Future and Digital Compact as active tools rather than archived documents. Focusing on these actions, he noted, enables a shift from intention to impact, turning commitments into tangible results.
The program concluded on Day 5 with ministerial dialogues, peer-coaching circles, and the Action Spotlight, where participants presented national initiatives that will accelerate SDG and XDG progress, followed by a graduation ceremony.
A Shared Commitment to Action
Participants left the program with strengthened leadership capabilities, actionable national strategies, and a renewed sense of global solidarity. The week showcased the value of multilateral cooperation, demonstrated not only in the content, but in the collaboration between the UAE SDGs Secretariat, GEEO, and the SDG Academy; SDG 17 remains a vital enabler for all other SDGs.
This training program reaffirms the UAE’s leadership in empowering governments worldwide and advancing sustainable development through innovation, partnership, and shared vision. At the SDG Academy, we’ve seen how leadership programs like this provide governments with a powerful platform to strengthen strategic skills, foster shared understanding, and promote cross-sector collaboration – essential tools for driving meaningful national progress. By bringing leaders from different countries together, these trainings enhance collective problem-solving and help align approaches to global challenges that no nation can address alone. Hosting these programs allows governments not only to deepen their own capacity but also to contribute to a more interconnected global community advancing sustainable development.
We are grateful to our partners for being the host of this important training. We also extend our sincere thanks to the UAE Government Accelerators for their collaboration across multiple sessions, and to Louise Monger, Aline Mosnier (SDSN FABLE), and Samory Toure (SDSN’s SDG Transformation Center) for joining us virtually to support our work.
Want to learn more about this training? Or interested in hosting a customized program for your own government or sector? Reach out to Kayla Colyard at kayla.colyard@unsdsn.org to explore the possibilities in partnering with the SDG Academy.
