Abu Dhabi to Host GLOBSEC 2026 in First Expansion Outside Europe

Abu Dhabi has been selected to host the GLOBSEC Forum in 2026, marking the first time the prominent security and economic summit will be held outside of Europe. The announcement follows a period of record growth for the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade, which reached AED 1.39 trillion in the first half of 2024, representing an 11.2% increase year-on-year. Global Security Dialogue Shifts to UAE The move to host the forum in the UAE capital signals a strategic shift in global diplomatic dialogue. Traditionally held in Prague and Bratislava, GLOBSEC attracts more than 1,000 heads of state, government ministers, and CEOs from 80 countries. The 2026 edition will focus on the intersection of international security and economic stability, specifically addressing the diversification of global supply chains. UAE officials, including representatives at the 2024 GLOBSEC Forum in Prague, highlighted the country’s logistical infrastructure as a stabilizing factor in international commerce. The UAE’s Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) program has already secured trade deals with major economies like India, Turkey, and Indonesia, aimed at removing tariffs and streamlining…