How Abu Dhabi became the GCC’s poster child of smart cities

How Abu Dhabi became the GCC’s poster child of smart cities

Image by Allan Baxter/ Getty Images To accommodate continued population growth and citizens’ rising expectations for improved living standards, Abu Dhabi is implementing an arsenal of initiatives and financing measures to support the transformation of sectors, improve energy efficiency and foster sustainability. The emirate recently signed an agreement with China’s Shenzhen to collaborate on pioneering smart city projects across multiple areas including infrastructure, smart mobility, advanced technology, autonomous solutions and sustainability. “Abu Dhabi has its sights firmly set on being a global pioneer in sustainable and smart urban development. We are committed to leveraging innovation and technology to transform urban living and improve the lives, wellbeing and experience of all those connected to the UAE capital and across the emirate,” said Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT). DMT partnered with Shenzhen Urban Transport Planning Centre to establish an international joint laboratory to facilitate training programmes on smart cities and mobility. The partnership includes a joint development of an intelligent mobility centre in Abu Dhabi that explores technologies to advance the emirate’s transportation sector. The centre will incorporate purpose-built technology to efficiently manage Abu Dhabi’s land, sea, air and rail