Gulf Construction Online - Summit to present global models of development

Events

Summit to present global models of development

01 August 2015

The strategy for urban development across Saudi Arabia will receive a major push when global solution providers and decision-makers from the country’s municipalities meet at a key summit in the capital Riyadh in November.

The inaugural Municipality Excellence and Expansion Summit is a business platform introducing global pre-qualified solution providers to pre-screened decision makers from Saudi municipalities.

Under the endorsement of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (Momra), the summit will host key city officials from municipalities across Saudi Arabia. With the kingdom investing $500 billion into modernising its infrastructure, they are keen to source solutions and services that will play a key role in their ongoing expansion plans. As the entity responsible for the administration of Saudi municipalities, Momra is investing its resources into urban development, smart technology and government excellence.

Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs Abdul Latif Al Sheikh will open the summit with a keynote address on the role of municipalities in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2025.

Jordi Puigneró i Ferrer, director general of telecommunications and IT of the Government of Catalonia, Spain, will be a key speaker at the summit where he will elaborate on the remarkable transformation of Barcelona as a city, and Catalonia as a region through the implementation of technology and digital information.

Explaining the importance of incorporating IT into urban development ahead of the summit, Ferrer remarked: “IoT (Internet of Things) and accurate data analysis are key tools for municipalities to evaluate compliance with their electoral promises and measure the quality of public services, thereby helping to use public resources more efficiently. The public-private sector partnership and collaboration is a new and open method for boosting municipal projects and accelerating the development of industrial and economic growth, as well as guaranteeing the welfare state.”

Commenting on Momra’s endorsement of the summit, project director of The Municipality Excellence and Expansion Summit Jean-Philippe Bonsaudo said: “The kingdom is setting a great example of how to foster effective public and private sector partnerships for the greater good of overall infrastructure, business and social development. With the support of Momra, this summit will help heads of various municipalities in Saudi Arabia to knowledge-share with local and international service and solution providers to drive this development across the kingdom.”

Key players in the industry, such as Dar Al Riyadh, Ernst and Young, Aerial Imaging Saudi Arabia, Philips Lighting, Xerox and others have partnered with the summit to present innovative solutions to the heads of municipalities in Saudi Arabia.