Abu Dhabi tops ranking of smart cities in Middle East and Africa

Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has topped the list of “smart cities” in the Middle East and Africa, the city’s Department of Culture and Tourism said on Friday.

Covering 50 international cities, a report by McKinsey Global Institute titled “Smart Cities: Digital Solutions for a More Livable Future” views how cities all over the world use technology to improve the quality of life, reports Xinhua.

With a rating of 18.4, Abu Dhabi ranked the first in the region ahead of Dubai, which was placed the second with a rating of 17.3.

Saif Saeed Ghobash, under-secretary of the department, said that in the digital age, metropolitan cities are delivering creative ways in which data is used to reinvent the way their city is perceived, explored, interacted with, and how services are delivered.

“With apps and online systems in place that support the tourism and business infrastructure of the emirate, we hope to lead the way to a sustainable future for generations to come,” he said.

According to McKinsey, three factors make a city smart.

First is the technology base, which includes a critical mass of smartphones and sensors connected by high-speed communication networks.

The second consists of specific applications, such as translating raw data into alerts. The third is usage by cities, companies, and the public. (IANS)