Global Smart City Forum in Riyadh Propels Saudi Arabia Towards Smart Industrial Zones
Riyadh, The Gulf Observer: The inaugural edition of the Global Smart City Forum 2024 concluded in Riyadh on Tuesday, revealing Saudi Arabia’s ambitious plans to establish smart industrial zones. The two-day event featured extensive discussions on the future of smart cities, emphasizing the challenges facing their infrastructure and advocating for the integration of smart energy solutions to ensure a sustainable future. The forum highlighted significant opportunities in the fields of manufacturing and mining within these emerging smart industrial zones.
The Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, Majed Al-Hogail, inaugurated the forum, organized by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing. Attendees included a multitude of global city experts, specialists in data, artificial intelligence, digital solutions, smart city engineers, investors, and economic policy makers from 40 countries, gathered under the theme “A Better Life.”
Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar Alkhorayef, highlighted the pivotal role of smart cities in industrial growth, technology diffusion, and sustainable industrial development. Alkhorayef emphasized the need for smart industrial cities to enhance technology adoption in factories and mining sites, integrating advanced digital infrastructure for comprehensive services like communication, cybersecurity, and cloud solutions.
In his concluding remarks, Dr. Esam Al-Wagait, Director of the National Information Center at SDAIA, characterized the forum as a beacon of hope for Saudi Arabia’s aspirations in creating sustainable and smart urban environments. He emphasized the importance of discussions that took place during the forum, focusing on creating green cities, utilizing data for better management, enhancing mobility, and ensuring top-notch city services. Al-Wagait outlined the pillars of smart cities, which include smart energy solutions, a thriving smart economy, transparent and efficient smart governance, intelligent transportation systems, and prioritizing human well-being through smart healthcare and education.
Highlighting the power of data, Al-Wagait expressed the potential to make informed decisions for more efficient, sustainable, and responsive cities. He announced the launch of the SDAIA Center for Congestion Solutions, furthering the commitment to progress in smart city initiatives.
Chairman of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, linked the rapid developments in the aviation sector to the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, reflecting the transformation of cities and societies.
The forum witnessed the launch of the Center of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence in Industry and Mining, a collaboration between the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and SDAIA. Additionally, agreements were signed between SDAIA and the Diriyah Company for Qualifying Human Resources, as well as with the Saudi Telecom Company (STC) to provide training services for the latest technologies in application development and technical innovations. The strides made during the Global Smart City Forum mark a significant step toward Saudi Arabia’s smart city vision and the creation of innovative, sustainable, and interconnected urban spaces.
