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'It's not shameful': UAE minister takes parking lot office, prioritises guests at WGS
In a world that often equates authority with status symbols, the basement office becomes the quiet symbol of humility, teamwork, and purpose
- PUBLISHED: Mon 16 Feb 2026, 4:42 PM UPDATED: Mon 16 Feb 2026, 7:57 PM
Under the bright white lights of a basement parking lot, far from the polished stages and grand halls above, a different kind leadership was quietly unfolding.
Upstairs, the sixth edition of the World Governments Summit was making history — its largest yet, bringing together more than 150 governments and over 500 ministers from around the world.
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The main hall was impressive, designed to host world leaders and global conversations. If you were to imagine where the chairman of such a summit would be stationed, you might picture a spacious office overlooking the venue, maybe with the view of the stage where history was being made.
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But downstairs, in the basement parking, is where the real coordination was happening. In a video shared by Abdullah Raesi and Saif Al Dhabab on Instagram, the scene is almost unexpected — concrete floors, parked cars nearby, and a small makeshift office set up in the corner.
Mohammad Al Gergawi, UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Governments Summit, was leading the team from this humble setup.
"Today maybe our offices are in the parking, yes," he said in the clip. "But it's not shameful because we are sitting here offering something for our country."
He emphasised that leadership is not about where you sit — it's about what you build. A modest office in a parking lot does not diminish the work being done. On the contrary, Al Gergawi noted, any environment can be transformed into the right environment "if the planning is good".
"The most important thing is the product," he said. And the product, in this case, is dialogue, collaboration, and ideas that shape governments of today and the future.
Check out the video below as shared by Abdullah Raesi and Saif Al Dhahab
Raesi and Al Dhabab might have been surprised to see the UAE Minister working from such an unconventional space. But Al Gergawi explained that the priority has always been the guests — the countries, companies, and visitors who travel to the UAE to take part in the summit. They were given the best spaces, the spotlight, and the finest halls.
"Always keep in mind, the priority is always for the guests," he said. "Responsibility is not about the chairs. Responsibility is not someone sitting in a fancy place. It has nothing to do with it."
He gestured to Raesi and Al Dhabab, saying, "We're all one, the three of us. In the end, we're all on the same level. Whether the person is a minister, a regular employee, or a department manager."
He also asked for the camera to focus on his young team who work alongside him around the clock. "These guys are with me 24 hours a day. So in the end, I learn from them."
It was a simple moment, but a powerful one. In a world that often equates authority with status symbols, the basement office becomes the quiet symbol of something else — humility, teamwork, and purpose.
In that fluorescent-lit parking lot, stripped of ceremony and spectacle, the message was clear: true leadership is not about titles or offices. It is about the service, shared responsibility, and the belief that greatness can be built from anywhere.
