Saudi Arabia is celebrating World Cities Day, strengthening cooperation between countries in addressing the challenges of urbanization in cities and creating awareness of the successes and challenges of urban sustainability.
A UNGA resolution established World Cities Day on Dec. 27, 2013, setting Oct. 31 to promote and inspire action on the concept of sustainable urbanization. The first celebration of this day was in Shanghai, China, in 2014.
The Kingdom, through Saudi Vision 2030, is keeping pace with the international community’s desire to spread urbanism worldwide, pushing forward cooperation to exploit opportunities and address urban challenges and contribute to urban development, Arab News states.
Fast facts
A UNGA resolution established World Cities Day on Dec. 27, 2013, setting Oct. 31 to promote and inspire action on the concept of sustainable urbanization. The first celebration of this day was in Shanghai, China, in 2014.
The UN chooses a general theme for World Cities Day and a different sub-theme each year to enhance the successes of urbanization or to meet the specific challenges resulting from it. This year it has chosen the theme “Adapting Cities to Climate Resilience,” which falls under “Better City, Better Life,” as urbanization is one of the world’s most transformative trends.
Urbanization poses many sustainability challenges related to housing, environment, climate change, infrastructure, essential services, food security, health, education, decent jobs, safety, and natural resources.
World Cities Day coincides with Riyadh becoming the third-smartest city among the capitals of G20 states, jumping 23 ranks from last year on the Institute for Management Development Smart Cities Index for 2021.
It is a result of improvements by the Kingdom’s capital according to 34 indicators. The Saudi capital outperformed significant cities such as Los Angeles, Madrid, Hong Kong, and Paris. The progress by Riyadh makes it the second of its kind among the G20 countries after the South Korean capital, Seoul, and the third-largest in the world.
Madinah has been included on the index as the second Saudi city after Riyadh, ranked 73rd globally and fourth in the Arab world.
These leaps were made in digital transformation, data, and artificial intelligence in the cities of Riyadh and Madinah to achieve the welfare of residents and visitors by adopting the latest technologies and digital solutions, in addition to speed and flexibility in processing digital government transactions, digital identity services, ease of starting new businesses and reducing waiting times. Government applications and platforms have improved access to information and the completion of transactions and played a significant role in raising health and safety indicators, specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This achievement also confirms the efforts of government sectors in providing advanced infrastructure, smart applications, and implementing development projects. The cities offer their residents and visitors a high level of luxury and quality of life.
Smart cities contribute to developing many vital sectors, such as the smart transportation sector, through trip planning software and reservations for public transportation systems. The innovative economy, built on advanced software that contributes to the development of many sectors such as logistics, delivery, and joint support services, in addition to building interactive platforms with the public to identify their needs and aspirations and interact with them in a transparent manner that puts them at the center of the attention of state agencies, in addition to developing and facilitating citizens’ access to services.
