They surpassed Tokyo, Paris, Rome, Beijing and Osaka

Dubai and Abu Dhabi top the region in the 2020 Smart City Index

The superiority of Dubai and Abu Dhabi is a sign of the government's efforts to harness technology to serve the population.

■ from the source

Dubai and Abu Dhabi topped the region's cities in the Smart Cities Index 2020, issued by the Global Competitiveness Center of the International Institute for Administrative Development (IMD).

According to the index, which is based on a survey that focuses on the residents' opinion of the services available in their city, and the alignment of technological policies with the needs of citizens, Abu Dhabi advanced 14 ranks in this year’s index, ranking 42 globally, while Dubai advanced two ranks to rank 43 directly. After Abu Dhabi.

forefront

Globally, Singapore, Helsinki and Zurich topped the Smart Cities Index 2020, in a year that witnessed a decline in the performance of many European cities, due to the aftershocks of the "Covid-19" pandemic, and its impact on the lives of residents in those cities.

Key indicators

The International Institute for Administrative Development stated, in a statement issued yesterday, that the residents of Abu Dhabi and Dubai were more satisfied with the performance of their cities and the services they provide, than residents of Tokyo, Paris, Rome, Beijing and Osaka, according to the index, referring the reason for this to their positive evaluation of the government's efforts and its success in Adopting smart technologies to improve people's lives.

He added that the residents' satisfaction in both cities was evident in a number of key indicators, including smooth access to medical and cultural services, in addition to the availability of recycling services, easy access to job listings and job opportunities through the Internet, as well as the quality of the available educational institutions, and the availability of cultural activities. And the quality of public transport services.

Moreover, the institute indicated that the residents of Dubai and Abu Dhabi praised the electronic services provided by government departments, which facilitated the start of new businesses, the processing of government documents and identity services via the Internet, which reduced waiting times.

Harnessing technology

The Director of the Center for Global Competitiveness of the International Institute for Administrative Development, Professor Arturo Brace, said that the performance of Abu Dhabi and Dubai is an indication of the government's efforts to harness technology to serve the population.

"The impact of technology in dealing with the (Corona) pandemic cannot be ignored," he said, noting that cities with better technology manage the pandemic and its aftershocks better.

109 countries are included in the index

The Smart Cities Index 2020 was based on a survey that included hundreds of citizens in 109 cities during April and May 2020, in which questions were asked about the technological aspects of their cities in five main areas: health and safety, mobility, activities, opportunities, and governance.

The index is based on how the population perceives the scope and impact of efforts made to make their cities "smart", and to achieve a balance between "economic and technological aspects", taking into account the "human dimensions".

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