High-Level Sessions On Smart Cities And Digital Economy Highlight Innovation At AIM Congress 2025

At the AIM Congress 2025, city leaders convened for a roundtable titled "City Mayors’ Roundtable: Global Digital Cooperation – Mayors Leading the Way." This high-level dialogue focused on digital transformation and smart city innovation. Berangere Boell, United Nations Resident Coordinator, stressed the importance of local leadership in global development. Meanwhile, Tunbosun Alake from Lagos State Government shared Lagos's tech-driven transformation strategy.

Alake outlined Lagos's seven-pillar innovation plan, which includes expanding digital infrastructure and developing youth talent. Similarly, John-Charuk Saah Siafa, Mayor of Monrovia City Corporation, discussed digitising revenue systems and training youth in digital skills. He also mentioned piloting smart waste management solutions to enhance urban services.

In another session under the Digital Economy portfolio, leaders explored "Leadership in Scaling Digital Economies." Moderated by Paul Hamilton (Ibtikar), this discussion examined AI's role in shaping inclusive economies. Mohamed Emad (IBM MEA) noted AI’s ability to personalise at scale. Charles Austen Angell (EPIRA.ai) added that no two people think alike.

Ajibola Odukoya (AfriLabs) emphasised investing in self-development and unlearning outdated knowledge. Joseph Musolino (SAS Institute) described the current period as an "AI renaissance," warning against unchecked progress. Nicola Bettio (Sharjah RTI Park) highlighted AI’s potential to democratise education.

A panel on Innovation and Entrepreneurship discussed building ecosystems for impact. Dr. Hashim Suleiman Hussein Mohamed of UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain moderated this session, introducing the Global Entrepreneurial Alliance launched in January 2025. This alliance is now active in 54 countries.

Dalal Alqais, CEO of Bahrain Development Bank, highlighted Bahrain’s SME-friendly policies like interest-free loans and women-focused programs such as Riyadat. The BHD 100 million Estimya Fund aims to help startups scale. Mohamed Aboud from the University of Dubai promoted the Triple Helix model with examples from Saudi Arabia’s billion-riyal Hajj innovation fund.

Sustainability in Startups

A Fireside Chat titled "Sustainability in Startups: Green Startups – A Cross Cutting Topic with Investing Perspective" focused on startups' role in environmental impact. Moderated by Liz Krymalowski of Orbillion Bio, it featured insights from Gilbert Ewehmeh and Lindsay Miller. They emphasised green startups' importance in Africa and MENA regions.

Miller stated that sustainability involves creating lasting businesses that benefit both people and the planet. Ewehmeh highlighted cross-border collaboration's role in scaling impact: "When Africa and MENA work together, we create a more resilient, interconnected innovation ecosystem."

Tamraz Taghiyev from Azerbaijan stressed improving rural connectivity and aligning local with national governments for smart city initiatives. Amable de Jesús Hernández from San Jose de Colinas focused on expanding internet access and promoting digital education as part of Latin America’s post-COVID recovery efforts.

The discussions underscored that sustainable startups need supportive communities and investor backing to balance long-term goals with short-term pressures. With increasing momentum, these startups are set to influence regional economies significantly.

With inputs from WAM