Smart cities to play major role in driving growth, competitiveness

Muscat: Ithraa, Oman’s inward investment and export development agency, will discuss the game-changing role of smart cities in economic growth at the upcoming edition of its Inside Stories, at the Training Centre of the Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) on November 13. The focus will be the key role of Oman’s own upcoming smart cities — Madinat Al Irfan and Sultan Qaboos Port — in the Sultanate’s economic diversification plans. Countries around the world are constructing new smart cities and revitalising existing ones to boost their competitiveness with innovation and technology.
“Clearly, with cities worldwide competing for investment and talent, harnessing the potential of these Omani economic powerhouses and drivers of investment is of significant interest to the local business community and to those considering investment in the Sultanate,” pointed out Taleb al Makhmari, Director-General for Marketing and Media at Ithraa. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, the world’s top 100 cities already account for 38 per cent of total global GDP, the Ithraa director-general said. “During the event, we’ll be touching on the technology behind these smart cities and their impact on the world of work as well as the lifestyle they offer. Our main focus will be on their potential to drive prosperity”.
The panel will be looking at existing cities like Barcelona, New York, London, Seoul and Shanghai — places that have gone smart using the Internet of Things (IoT) to manage everything from healthcare, public transport, traffic, parking to tracking water and air quality.
“We’ll be considering what Oman’s urban eco-system can learn from how these ‘lighthouse’ cities use the smart data they gather to inform longer term planning decisions, enhancing the quality of life for residents and ensuring environmental sustainability,” explained Al Makhmari.
“Of course, we will also be zooming in on potential challenges for smart city-based businesses and issues the people who make them their home may face. We have a great panel of smart urban experts lined up for what promises to be a fascinating edition of Inside Stories and one that is set to offer participants an informative window on factors driving our way of life, our way of business and our international competitiveness in the not-too-distant future”. Dr Ali al Shidhani from The Research Council, Professor Nikolaus Knebel of GUtech, Nadia Maqbool and Stuart Caunt from 23 Degrees North will lead the discussions and share their insights. — ONA

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