Santo Domingo — The Dominican Republic has been selected to host the Latin America and Caribbean regional edition of the World Governments Summit (WGS) for the second consecutive time, with the high-profile gathering set to kick off at Cap Cana’s The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort on November 20 and 21, 2026. This landmark event marks only the second occasion in the summit’s history that it will be held outside its permanent home in Dubai, a distinction that underscores the Caribbean nation’s growing regional influence.
President Luis Abinader made the official announcement, revealing that organizers project the 2026 summit will draw nearly 400 high-level attendees. The participant list is expected to include sitting heads of state, cabinet-level ministers, senior leadership from leading global intergovernmental organizations, and top C-suite executives from major international businesses. Beyond facilitating cross-sector dialogue, Abinader emphasized that the summit will solidify the Dominican Republic’s standing as the primary regional hub for cutting-edge innovation and public sector modernization.
Víctor “Ito” Bisonó, the Dominican Republic’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, shared that preliminary planning is already well underway. Event organizers have begun extending invitations to government leaders across Latin America and the Caribbean, with a packed agenda centered on pressing shared priorities. Key discussion themes will range from forward-thinking governance models and emerging technology adoption to inclusive economic growth, sustainable tourism development, climate action, and expanding impactful public-private partnerships across the region.
Mohamed Al Sharhan, Managing Director of the World Governments Summit Organization, explained the decision to reaward the hosting rights to the Dominican Republic. He cited the nation’s consistent, unwavering commitment to advancing innovation and driving transformative change within its public institutions as a core factor in the selection. Al Sharhan added that the 2026 summit will do more than advance regional dialogue: it will deepen the longstanding strategic ties between the Dominican Republic and the United Arab Emirates, while further positioning the Caribbean country as the primary gateway for cross-regional cooperation and global knowledge exchange in the Latin America and Caribbean space.
Attendees will take part in a structured program of activities, including opening plenary sessions, closed-door ministerial roundtables, and interactive strategic workshops focused on addressing the future of governance and pressing shared global challenges.