The Middle East is transforming, with many cities seeking to become smarter and more sustainable. Recently, the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) released its Smart Cities Index, ranking the most advanced cities in the region. And among the top ten is Egypt, with the city of Cairo taking ninth place.
This index assesses cities’ commitment to sustainability and their effort to improve the well-being of their citizens. According to this ranking, Cairo is ranked 108th globally and 9th in the Middle East.
This recognition is part of Egypt’s Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to achieve sustainable and comprehensive development in all areas, and anchor them within Egypt’s various government agencies.
The ranking also reflects the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic dimension, the social dimension and the environmental dimension.
Other Middle Eastern cities also feature in the ranking. Muscat in Oman ranks eighth regionally and 96th globally. Medina in Saudi Arabia ranks seventh regionally and 85th globally. Doha in Qatar ranks sixth regionally and 59th globally.
Saudi Arabia is also present in this ranking, with Jeddah in fifth regional place and 56th place worldwide, Mecca in fourth regional place and 52nd place worldwide, and Riyadh in third regional place and 30th place worldwide.
The United Arab Emirates dominate the rankings, occupying the top two places. Dubai ranks second regionally and 17th globally, while Abu Dhabi tops the rankings as the smartest city in the Middle East, occupying 13th place globally.
This index evaluated more than 200 cities, taking into account criteria such as the integration of artificial intelligence to improve telemedicine, the transition to a green economy, electric mobility and the digital economy, the impact of smart technologies on cities and the balance between economic, technological and human aspects.
The objective of this index is to assess how technology contributes to improving the quality of life of residents and to highlight a human-centered approach to the development of smart cities.
The Middle East is therefore positioning itself as a region in full transformation, with cities investing in intelligence and sustainability for the well-being of their inhabitants. An inspiring example to follow for other regions of the world.