The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China can be role models in providing modern governance and creating sustainable jobs, World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim said on Monday.
"The UAE and China have shown that upgrading people's living standards and creating jobs can work if governments implement policies to create inclusive economic growth, healthcare and education for all," Kim told the fourth World Government Summit 2016 hosted by the UAE.
In 2015, extreme poverty fell for the first time below 10 percent but there are still over 700 million people subsist on less than two U.S. dollars a day, he said.
The UAE, Kim noted, increased the share of young people pursuing higher education to 50 percent from 30 percent in the last five years, "while in China the private sector has created 64 million jobs in the same period."
"Both countries are also successful in preventing people from falling back to poverty," he added.
Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the Geneva-based World Economic Forum, also praised the host country.
In a keynote speech opening the three-day summit on Monday, Schwab said the UAE has the ability to give an example to the region as a modern management state.
Schwab called on the governments to rapidly cope up with the current world changes in terms of the technological innovation.
"Governments have to develop a multi-stakeholder approach to shape the future, to develop a vision and to take the necessary action to realise their vision," he said.
U.S. President Barack Oabama also addressed the summit, in a taped video.
He said the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries that commit themselves to reform will progress and can "find a friend" in the Washington.
"In order to create jobs, governments shall invest into clean energy and encourage entrepreneurs and commit themselves to human rights and justice," Obama said.
