Urbanization is one of the most important social-economic phenomena in today's world. As of now, By 2030, the world will have 43 megacities, each with more than 10 million inhabitants. Combined with the overall growth of the world’s population, the shift to cities will add another 2.5 billion people to urban areas by 2050, increasing the proportion of the population living in urban areas from the current 55% to 68%. As more people flock to cities, new mega-cities and city clusters begin to take form.

In the GCC, by 2025, the population is predicted to reach 57 million, with an additional 14 million people expected to call the region home by 2050. Traditional urban environments are typically not designed to accommodate a growing population, particularly in terms of infrastructure and digital connectivity. That is why the region’s move towards smart city developments is more important than ever before.

The core of smart city development is engagement with the residents. The level and quality of engagement include aspects such as interdependence, choice of interaction; feedback on governance; adoption of new technologies and channels; and communicating reviewing existing services. This helps make cities more livable, resilient, and able to better respond to challenges. In the journey toward becoming smarter, the aim is to have cohesion between physical, digital, and human systems.

Digitalization is one of the strongest driving forces that power smart cities. Multiple sectors are being disrupted positively by the development and commercial deployment of emerging technologies. The regions’ governments support the new phase through a planned evolution of laws and regulations. Smart infrastructure remains the foundation, enabled by smart payments innovation. The technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0 or 4IR), which are already being tested commercially, play a vital role in developing smarter cities that fulfill the expectations of their inhabitants.

With the rollout of 5G across the GCC and most countries of the world, the vision of “Smart City of the future” becomes a realistic vision. Stakeholders will come together over a packed conference agenda to discuss the future of seamless connectivity, and how it will improve lives and cities. They will analyze the expeditious transformation MENA region has undergone to develop some of the world's leading smart cities. This event will provide a platform to discuss strategies for sustainable urban development.

The idea of smart cities in the minds of citizens is an innovative and environment-friendly city of the future, in the form of ‘greener’ government and business practices. From less traffic congestion on roads to connected healthcare systems, smart cities are hoped to revolutionize the way the region functions.