The World Government Summit (WGS), in collaboration with KPMG Lower Gulf, recently published a report titled “Future of Cities: Three Principles for Digital Transformation in Cities”. The report studies how governments can prepare for future challenges by leveraging technology.
Cities continue to grow
As migration into cities continues, the world’s urban population is set to increase by 68% by 2050, according to the report. As a result, cities will likely double in size by 2070. As a result, the World Economic Forum estimates that there will be a global infrastructure gap of USD 15 trillion by 2040.
The WGS report highlights the importance of digital transformation in addressing these concerns. The report suggests the prioritising of ‘citizen-customers’, the establishment of a strong IT and cloud infrastructure to support smart digitalisation and the rapid adoption and development of tech-enabled infrastructure.
Digital transformation successes
The report highlights successful initiatives by cities around the world that have spurred digital transformation and innovation and analyses how they were able to enhance their digital capabilities, as well as employ the latest technologies to achieve set goals, identify current needs and find corresponding innovative solutions.
The report singles out how Dubai created an app to capture data regarding citizen-customer happiness. The concept was to allow private sector and government entities to evaluate citizen-customer experiences with live data and provide clear directions for service improvements.
Global endeavours
Mohammed Yousef Al Sharhan, Deputy Managing Director of the World Government Summit Organisation, said, “WGS has established its position as a global platform for government knowledge in providing research and addressing future trends that enable officials and decision-makers to design new policies and develop plans that enhance the readiness of governments for the future.”
Mazen Houalla, Partner, Head of Portfolio, Programme and Project Management, KPMG Lower Gulf, said, “Using examples of successful practices from around the world, our report provides practical solutions for city leaders, public administrators, and municipal stakeholders on how to build resiliency into their planning and how to prepare for – and meet – future challenges using technology. Cities can move to smart digitalisation by adopting rigorous analyses of tech solutions. Digitalisation, done ‘smartly’, can now be applied more quickly and more cost effectively than in the past.”
Recommendations
The report makes a series of recommendations regarding digital transformation, including stressing the important of rapid decision-making, setting priorities, and fostering city identities. Aspirational goals are notes as important as cities embark on digital transformation, as is the setting of long-term targets, focused ones directed towards specific, medium-term targets, and those that prioritise core functions in the short-term.
According to the report, cities should embrace sustainability. Guiding their strategy should be the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), one of which is, “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.”
The Future of Cities: Principles for Digital Transformation in Cities report can be viewed here.
According to a Frost & Sullivan report, there will over 26 smart cities in the world by 2025.
