UN-Habitat to support AI projects, solutions in cooperation with Dubai Municipality

DUBAI, 13th February, 2024 (WAM) -- Dubai Municipality today signed a cooperation agreement with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) to support and enhance the "Artificial Intelligence in Dubai: Pioneering Urban Intelligence for a Comprehensive and Sustainable Future" project.

The agreement was signed during the World Governments Summit 2024 in the presence of Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, and Chairman of 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 the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) signed the agreement, which seeks to accomplish the shared objectives in establishing an innovative environment for developing and employing artificial intelligence to promote sustainable urban planning.

Al Hajri emphasised the significance of the agreement in fostering and expanding cooperation in technical domains associated with urban planning and innovative planning tools. This demonstrates Dubai Municipality’s efforts and strategic plans toward sustainable planning, targeted at improving the quality of life and positioning Dubai as a leader in the use and governance of artificial intelligence in urban planning.

Al Hajri said,

 “We are pleased to sign this strategic cooperation agreement with the UN-Habitat, on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit 2024. This partnership will strengthen urban policies, programs, and the integration of cutting-edge technologies to produce beneficial results, thereby creating an advanced environment for artificial intelligence applications. The objective is to accelerate the resolution of environmental, social, and economic challenges related to sustainable and inclusive urban planning in Dubai.”

Michal Mlynár said,

 “We are excited to expand our partnership with Dubai Municipality and support the use of data and AI in advancing sustainable and inclusive urban planning. Digital technology has the potential to reshape the way we envision and build urban spaces. However, we should always put people first and ensure that we leave no one and no place behind.”

The agreement will be followed by the development of a comprehensive proposal for the project ‘Artificial Intelligence in Dubai: Pioneering Urban Intelligence for a Comprehensive and Sustainable Future’. This project aims to improve collaboration across several areas of work, including the creation of an AI governance strategy for Dubai’s urban planning and the implementation of AI-driven simulation tools to improve priority areas and optimise urban planning operations and services.

The agreement further aims to enhance the knowledge and expertise of Dubai Municipality workforce as well as their capabilities in implementing artificial intelligence techniques within urban planning.

The partnership between Dubai Municipality and UN-Habitat has yielded remarkable results, most notably their constant efforts in organising the 13th edition of the Dubai International Best Practices Award for Sustainable Development. Conducted as part of the World Governments Summit, this award honors exceptional global concepts, initiatives, and cutting-edge methods towards improving environmental sustainability and quality of life globally, thereby positively influencing the growth of future cities.

This collaboration is further strengthened by the international recognition of this award and its sustained momentum. The award has currently emerged as a key advocate for implementing best practices in global sustainable urban planning and is documented in the UN-Habitat’s database for best practices as part of the new urban agenda program.

More than 4,000 participants from the public and private sectors will participate in 110 interactive sessions at WGS 2024, including 200 speakers from 80 international, regional and intergovernmental organisations including the UN, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the World Health Organization, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Arab League. It will also welcome eight Nobel prize winners, and provide a platform for 23 ministerial meetings in the presence of more than 300 ministers.

In partnership with a select group of knowledge partners, the Summit will launch more than 25 strategic reports, focusing on the most important practices and trends in vital sectors.