RIYADH — Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs Abdullatif Al-Asheikh will deliver the keynote address at the inaugural session of the upcoming Municipality Excellence and Expansion Summit in Riyadh. The summit marks a significant development in the Kingdom's Vision 2025 objectives by scheduling a series of direct meetings between global solution providers and project holders from Saudi municipalities. The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MOMRA) is currently investing in smart city developments, some of which are in progress. The ministry is endorsing the summit and supporting key decision makers within the municipalities in building business relationships with solution providers that bring in global expertise. As part of the ongoing program of implementing economic, social and political reforms, the Kingdom has allocated $500 billion in infrastructure development to be spent by 2020. Developmental initiatives include thebuilding of three new smart cities, metro and rail expansion, airport terminals, industrial and municipal projects. The Municipality Excellence and Expansion Summit will also feature discussions from a panel of regional and international experts on urban planning, infrastructure, the "internet of Things (IoT)" and smart city development. Industry leaders sharing their expertise include Jordi Puigneró i Ferrer, director general of Telecommunications and IT in the Government of Catalonia, Spain. He will speak about the remarkable transformation of Barcelona as a city, and Catalonia as a region, into an intelligent, sustainable society through the implementation of technology and digital information. Explaining the importance of incorporating IT into urban development, Ferrer said: “IoT and accurate data analysis are key tools for municipalities to evaluate compliance with their electoral promises and measure the quality of public services, thereby helping to use public resources more efficiently. The public-private sector partnership and collaboration is a new and open method for boosting municipal projects and accelerating the development of industrial and economic growth, as well as guaranteeing the welfare state.” Key players in smart city development, such as Dar Al Riyadh, have also partnered with the summit to present innovative solutions to the heads of municipalities in Saudi Arabia. Specializing in growth market business facilitation, the summit organizers, Naseba, have long standing relationships in the Kingdom. Speaking about the significance of the MOMRA's endorsement of the summit, Project Director Jean-Philippe Bonsaudo said: “The Kingdom is setting a great example of how to foster effective public and private sector partnerships for the greater good of overall infrastructure, business and social development.” — SG
