Dubai To Host The Asia Pacific Cities Summit & Mayors' Forum Focusing On Urban Sustainability

Global leaders in urban development will converge in Dubai for the 2025 Asia Pacific Cities Summit (2025APCS) & Mayors’ Forum. Hosted by Expo City Dubai, the event aims to transform ideas into impactful actions, enhancing cities as hubs of investment and innovation. The summit, under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will be one of the largest gatherings of city and business leaders worldwide.

The summit will take place at the Dubai Exhibition Centre from 27th-29th October. It will address topics like affordable housing and urban heat solutions. Attendees include policymakers, investors, business leaders, young professionals, academics, and startups. They aim to create people-centric urban centres with improved transport, housing, economic opportunities, education access, healthcare, nature, and social spaces.

Dubai Municipality plans to reveal flagship projects at the event. These initiatives focus on enhancing urban sustainability and advancing smart infrastructure. The projects also aim to accelerate digital transformation and foster intercity collaboration both locally and globally. This underscores Dubai’s commitment to leadership in urban planning and its forward-thinking development agenda.

The Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games will announce its procurement programme during the summit. Reem Al Hashimy stated: "From an exceptional World Expo to an impactful international climate summit, we are honoured to once again welcome the world to Dubai." This gathering is seen as a chance to balance innovation with wisdom and technology with nature.

Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti highlighted Dubai’s role as a symbol of global cooperation and progress. He said: "Dubai is a symbol of both global cooperation and continuous progress – a city that prioritises sustainable development." The summit aims to advance solutions benefiting urban populations by fostering new partnerships.

Mayors from regions including Abuja, Fortaleza, Jaipur, Karachi, Montpellier, and Rabat will share insights alongside speakers like Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais and Dr. Nawal Al Hosany. Discussions will be informed by the 2025 Urban Readiness Report developed by Expo City with YouGov. This report addresses challenges city leaders face in balancing immediate service needs with long-term resilience investments.

Forums for Collaboration

The Dubai Real Estate Business Forum will explore how land use supports economic goals while promoting human well-being. Real estate is highlighted as an underutilised tool for delivering equity and resilience in cities. Behind closed doors, the Mayors’ Forum will produce the Mayors’ Accord summarising key outcomes agreed upon by mayors for city growth strategies.

The City Leaders’ Forum organised with AUDI will allow public sector leaders to exchange learnings. Additionally, the Young Professionals’ Forum held with the Dubai Youth Council will empower future leaders aged 18-35 to develop ideas for future cities.

This summit marks the first time 2025APCS is hosted in the Middle East region by Expo City Dubai on behalf of Brisbane City Council. Over 150 mayors and leaders from more than 300 cities worldwide are expected to attend this significant event.

With inputs from WAM