Budget sees government’s focus on quality of life, represented by IMD listing of 4 Saudi smart cities  

Budget sees government’s focus on quality of life, represented by IMD listing of 4 Saudi smart cities  

Saudi Gazette reportRIYADH — The policies of the Saudi government continue to focus on further improving the quality of basic services being provided to citizens through multiple channels of spending. This was well manifested in the state’s general budget for the new fiscal year 2024, according to a review of Al-Arabiya Business. It pointed out that among the most important achievements of government policy efforts in 2023 to reach a higher quality of life was the entry of four Saudi cities in the IMD Smart City Index for 2023 for the first time.These developments and achievements reflect the Kingdom's commitment to becoming a global leader in developing smart cities and leveraging technology to enhance urban life, economic growth and sustainable development.The Saudi capital city of Riyadh maintained its position as the third smartest Arab city, according to the index, released by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in April this year. Makkah entered in the index for the first time this year with the 4th rank while Jeddah ranked 5th and Madinah ranked 7th in the Arab world. At the global level, the city of Riyadh ranked 30th, Makkah 52nd, Jeddah 56th, and Madinah ranked 85th out of a