Global Leaders Emphasize Knowledge and Digital Skills as Foundation for Sustainable Societies

The Knowledge Summit 2025, organized by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), hosted a high-level ministerial roundtable focusing on knowledge pathways for sustainable communities. The session brought together ministers, policymakers, and development leaders to discuss how knowledge, data, and community engagement can advance sustainable and resilient societies worldwide.

Distinguished speakers including H.E. Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of MBRF, and ministers from Sierra Leone, Djibouti, Gambia, and Chad emphasized the critical need to embed sustainability and digital literacy within education systems and workforce development. The roundtable explored how leveraging research and data can drive inclusive, evidence-based policymaking while empowering communities through the integration of local, indigenous, and scientific knowledge into national sustainability efforts.

H.E. Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, Minister of Technical and Higher Education in Sierra Leone, highlighted the urgent need to integrate sustainability, digital literacy, and green practices into educational curricula. This approach enables students to actively contribute to global climate action and positions education as a cornerstone for sustainable development. Similarly, H.E. Prof. Pierre Gomez, Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology in Gambia, emphasized reengineering higher education systems to be digitally forward, embedding sustainability principles, and leveraging open educational resources available through platforms like UNDP.

The discussion underscored the importance of aligning government, academia, and the private sector to ensure knowledge translates into measurable impact. Dr. Motaz Khorshid, former Minister of Higher Education in Egypt, highlighted lifelong learning and national strategies fostering innovation, personality development, and community engagement as essential components for building knowledge-based economies. This alignment is crucial for creating ecosystems where knowledge flows freely between sectors and drives sustainable progress.

Community-driven approaches emerged as a central theme throughout the session. H.E. Hibo Moumin Assoweh, Minister of Youth and Culture in Djibouti, emphasized combining traditional and modern knowledge to foster entrepreneurship and youth empowerment. Tom Erdimi, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Chad, spoke about designing institutions that reflect local culture and traditions, ensuring sustainability efforts remain culturally relevant and community-owned.

Environmental considerations were prominently addressed, with Sami Dimassi, West Asia Regional Director for UNEP, and Dr. Houda Babah Sid M'hamed emphasizing that successful environmental transitions require strong government systems, behavioral change, and inclusive education reaching rural and vulnerable populations. Dr. Magued Osman and Dr. Yassen Alfoteih reinforced the importance of citizen participation and equipping students to understand and address complex societal challenges through initiatives supported by organizations like MBRF.

The ministerial roundtable concluded that advancing sustainable societies requires a holistic approach integrating knowledge, digital skills, environmental awareness, and active community engagement. This comprehensive strategy ensures that development efforts leave no one behind while building resilience against global challenges. The insights from this high-level discussion signal a growing global consensus that sustainable development must be knowledge-driven, digitally enabled, and community-centered to achieve lasting impact across nations and regions.