-  Al-Hogail: 4 Saudi Cities Classified Within 'Smart Cities Index' in 2023; we focus on implementing the concept of "Smart Municipalities" and developing urban centers for cities

His Excellency the Minister of Municipal Rural Affairs and Housing, Mr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail, announces that 4 Saudi cities are classified within Smart Cities Index last year, highlighting that MOMRAH targets classification of not less than 10 Saudi cities within the World’s 50 Best Cities. This will be achieved by implementing governance, sustainability and interaction with residents in order to achieve their aspirations, desires and well-being.

This came in a speech by His Excellency titled "(Forming the Municipalities of the Future: The Kingdom's Journey in Innovation and Participation)" during his participation in the World Smart Cities Forum organized by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority "SADAIA", hosted in Riyadh from February 12 to 13, 2024, with the participation of a selection of world experts in the field of smart city development and artificial intelligence.

The Minister of Municipal Rural Affairs and Housing said that the great dream launched by HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz - may God protect him - which is embodied in Vision 2030, has invested all the capabilities and resources of the nation. This renaissance we are experiencing today in our country has a positive impact on the entire region.

He added: “This support and great spirit of our leadership help us seek unique experiences and attract exceptional models to achieve our goals, and initiate our journey of reforming the urban landscape of our cities and governorates, so all people can become an integrated partner in building, development, sustainability and prosperity of the cities.”

 Al-Hogail noted that the model of smart cities is not only urban, technology-equipped areas, but it requires integrating environmental and operational systems providing municipality, transport, education, health, tourism and other services tailored to improve the quality of resident’s lives.

His Excellency emphasized that Vision 2030 is our journey track upon which we launched a strategy that aims at achieving urban growth and introducing cities as vibrant, sustainable and technology-based centers where people can live up to their aspirations and well-being and make accomplishments.

He continued: “This strategy achieves the concept of smart municipalities, and develops our urban areas in the cities by leveraging AI technology and data. This way, municipal sector realizes a vital role in forming smart cities through establishing environmental and operational systems that enhance the quality of life, and promote innovation in city service, economy and other aspects.”

Through our endeavors to find solutions for the challenges, we provided in Jeddah a solution to manage waste depending on emerging technologies such as Internet of Things (IOT). This resulted in reducing violation relating to waste and cleansing by 25%, reaching a clean city standard, reducing the disruption to residents caused by the movements of cleaning crews.

In addition, we developed in Dammam an application to manage over 20,000 parking spaces. Through this application, we have successfully facilitated access to the city's most congested areas, creating a seamless experience for residents to find available parking. Currently, we are using "Balady Lens" to inspect 270,000 km of roads, automatically identifying damage or pollution in the city. This will contribute to reducing visual pollution and improving quality of life and urban compliance.

Recognizing the importance of continuing to provide innovative solutions, Minister Al-Hogail emphasized that MOMRAH aims to enhance the well-being of residents by establishing the foundation for smart cities and municipalities. This is part of their efforts to promote community engagement through the implementation of the "Balady" application, which has gained international acclaim as one of the prominent smart applications in the United Nations. The application enables beneficiaries to submit their requests, manage their municipal licenses, and interact with municipalities to request services and improve the urban landscape.

The application enables exploring the Kingdom’s cities on an interactive map through pilot kick-off of “Balady Map & Navigation”. This service uses high resolution data of works, events, road updates, Speed alerts, weather forecast, and other multiple features.

Al-Hogail concluded his speech by emphasizing continuation of work to develop one of the national key applications and models “Digital Twin”. This application transforms the method of planning and operation of Saudi cities. By 2025, we will be able to simulate the impact of our urban policy and emergency and disaster planning and connect more entities and residents to engage in joint design of cities.