WGS 2024: Strategic Partnership Between Dubai Municipality and UN-Habitat to Boost AI in Urban Planning

Dubai Municipality has entered into a strategic partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) to bolster the "Artificial Intelligence in Dubai: Pioneering Urban Intelligence for a Comprehensive and Sustainable Future" project. This collaboration was formalized through an agreement signed at the World Governments Summit 2024, witnessed by Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Government Summit (WGS), and Abdulla Al Basti, Secretary-General of the Dubai Executive Council. Dawoud Al Hajri, Director-General of Dubai Municipality, and Michal Mlynár, Assistant Secretary-General and Acting Executive Director of UN-Habitat, were the signatories.

The agreement underscores a mutual commitment to fostering an innovative ecosystem for artificial intelligence (AI) development and application in sustainable urban planning. Al Hajri highlighted the pact's role in enhancing cooperation in technical fields related to urban and innovative planning tools, aiming to elevate the quality of life and establish Dubai as a frontrunner in AI utilization and governance within urban planning contexts.

"This partnership will enhance urban policies, programs, and the integration of advanced technologies to yield positive outcomes, thereby creating a sophisticated environment for AI applications," Al Hajri stated. He emphasized the goal of addressing environmental, social, and economic challenges through sustainable and inclusive urban planning in Dubai.

Michal Mlynár expressed enthusiasm about expanding UN-Habitat's partnership with Dubai Municipality to support data and AI-driven sustainable urban planning. "Digital technology can transform our approach to designing urban spaces. However, prioritizing people to ensure inclusivity is paramount," Mlynár remarked.

The collaboration will lead to the development of a comprehensive proposal for the aforementioned project. It aims to enhance cooperation across various domains, including establishing an AI governance strategy for Dubai's urban planning and deploying AI-driven simulation tools to refine urban planning operations and services. Additionally, it seeks to boost the knowledge and capabilities of Dubai Municipality's workforce in applying AI techniques within urban planning.

This partnership has already demonstrated significant achievements, notably through their joint efforts in organizing the 13th edition of the Dubai International Best Practices Award for Sustainable Development during WGS. This award celebrates innovative global practices that contribute to environmental sustainability and quality of life improvement worldwide, influencing future city development positively.

The collaboration gains further strength from the international acclaim of this award and its ongoing impact. The award is recognized as a pivotal advocate for implementing best practices in global sustainable urban planning and is included in UN-Habitat’s database for best practices as part of the new urban agenda program.

The World Governments Summit 2024 will host over 4,000 participants from public and private sectors across 110 interactive sessions. It will feature 200 speakers from 80 international organizations including the UN, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Health Organization, International Atomic Energy Agency, and Arab League. The summit will also welcome eight Nobel prize winners and facilitate 23 ministerial meetings with more than 300 ministers in attendance. In collaboration with knowledge partners, more than 25 strategic reports will be launched at the summit, focusing on key practices and trends in essential sectors.

With inputs from WAM