Presidents, Prime Ministers, and AI Sensation Sophia the Robot to Gather at the 12th Global Residence and Citizenship Conference in Dubai

More than 400 delegates from over 40 countries are expected to attend the 12^th annual Global Residence and Citizenship Conference, which takes place this week (4-6 November) at the Mina A’Salam Hotel in Dubai. Hosted by leading international citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners, this annual event has become the world’s largest and most significant conference on investment migration, bringing together presidents, prime ministers, senior government ministers and officials, leading academics, experienced industry professionals, and top-tier financial and business media. The 2018 conference program features sophisticated, cutting-edge content on the major developments shaping investment migration and geopolitics today, offering delegates the opportunity to engage with the leading minds and ideas driving the growing trend towards global citizenship and interconnectivity.

Dr. Christian H. Kalin, Group Chairman of Henley & Partners, says of the event’s relevance: “Residence- and citizenship-by-investment programs are very much the new frontier in terms of freedom, flexibility, and future-readiness, both for the countries issuing these programs and for the individuals participating in them. The societal and economic value they are able to generate is truly extraordinary, which is why we are seeing such strong industry growth year-on-year. The industry as a whole, with residence and citizenship combined, is currently grossing roughly USD 18 billion per year, by our estimates, and we expect that we will hit the USD 20 billion mark very soon.”

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Headlining the conference will be artificial intelligence sensation Sophia, the world’s first-ever robot-citizen. Sophia will introduce an exclusive panel debate on the battle for digital supremacy being waged between the global superpowers and on what this new technological climate means for the future of global citizenship. Among the panelists participating will be Taavi Kotka, former CIO for the Government of Estonia and pioneer of the country’s ‘digital nation’ and ‘e-Residency’ initiatives.

The Moldova Citizenship-by-Investment (MCBI) program – the latest and most exciting new investment migration opportunity in Europe – will be officially launched at the conference. Minister of Economy and Infrastructure for the Republic of Moldova, H.E. Chiril Gaburici said, “The MCBI program will provide our economy with much-needed foreign direct investment that will enhance the daily lives of all Moldovans, while strict due diligence standards and compliance procedures will guarantee the credibility and sustainability of the program.”

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Other notable key speakers include President of Montenegro, H.E. Milo Ðukanovic; the Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis; and Peter S. Vincent, Assistant Director General for International Policy at BORDERPOL and General Counsel for Thomson Reuters. The event will be co-hosted by Tariq Qureishy, Founder and CEO of MadTalks, Dubai, and Katie Fielder, Dubai-based journalist and broadcaster.

In a talk entitled ‘Nature, Nurture, and Nationality’, Prof. Dr. Dimitry Kochenov will discuss the latest edition of the Henley & Partners – Kochenov Quality of Nationality Index, revealing how the quality of a nationality affects the global distribution and movement of wealth and talent.

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Other highly topical sessions in this year’s program include ‘A Changing World: Where Are We Going and How Are We Getting There?’, ‘Two Years with Trump: The New Trade Wars and What They Mean for Democracy and Investment Migration’, and ‘Stimulating Economic Growth through Transformative Foreign Direct Investment Policies’.

This prestigious event will be co-hosted by Tariq Qureishy, Founder and CEO of MadTalks, Dubai, and Katie Fielder, Dubai-based journalist and broadcaster.

The conference will conclude with a gala dinner on Tuesday 6 November, during which the 2018 winner of the Global Citizen Award will be announced. The award is presented each year to an inspiring individual who has made an extraordinary and courageous contribution to the global community.

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