Event Description

As cities are experiencing an accelerating pace of urbanization with growing complexity, the pressure to innovate and become smarter is rapidly increasing. The ongoing challenges of urban living are already being considered across the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia playing a particularly prominent role. In its Vision 2030 national development plan, the Saudi Arabian government sets out its ambition to have three Saudi cities recognized in the top-ranked 100 cities in the world. As Saudi Arabia pushes forward with its economic diversification and modernization program, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveiled the country’s plans for the construction of NEOM – the world’s ultimate smart city. While delivering enormous benefits for its immediate vicinity in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, NEOM will also create substantial opportunities for international investors as it draws in the practical expertise and technological know-how necessary to turn the vision into reality.

The summit covers all the aspects of smart city development and aspires to address difficult issues traditionally associated with large urban development, including sustainability, congestion, transport and energy use, while at the same time improving the quality of life for inhabitants through benefits such as quicker access to healthcare, more integrated transport and less pollution.

World Future Cities Summit provides a premier platform for knowledge exchange and peer-to- peer engagement as well as a central platform for the interchange of best cases and business deals bringing together the highest level of stakeholders, in the context of smart cities development to co-create innovative and integrated urban solutions for a more liveablee and sustainable future.