The Eastern Province Municipality reviewed its experience in digital transformation and building smart cities and its achievements in this field during the forum organized by the Eastern Chamber yesterday.
The Undersecretary for Digital Transformation and Smart Cities Nael Al-Hogail explained that the Municipality is working to develop smart cities based on digital solutions. Undersecretary for Digital Transformation and Smart Cities Nael Al-Hogail explained that the Municipality is working to develop smart cities based on digital solutions to raise the quality of life and improve services, pointing to several achievements, including smart traffic lights, smart parking lots, and street lighting with sensors.
<He emphasized that these efforts come in support of the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 in digital transformation and sustainability. <For his part, Engineer Fawaz Al-Otaibi, Director of the Urban Planning Department at the Municipality, explained that the Municipality focused on automating procedures, developing electronic platforms and qualifying engineering offices to improve the efficiency of projects and accelerate the completion of transactions, while establishing control panels to follow up performance and ensure the quality of services.
The Eastern Chamber organized today the ”Smart Cities and Enhancing Sustainability” forum and the accompanying exhibition, in the presence and participation of a number of officials from the Eastern Province Municipality and specialists in the field of technology, sustainability and urban planning, at the Chamber's headquarters in Dammam.
The forum emphasized that the Eastern Province is qualified to be a leading national model for smart cities, in light of the availability of advanced digital infrastructure and professional national cadres, and that the region is also witnessing growing investments with sustainable concepts that enhance its readiness for this transformation and in line with the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030.
Participants discussed the latest developments in the field of technology, sustainability and urban planning. The participants discussed the latest global smart city systems, ways to enhance sustainability and energy efficiency, in addition to enabling partnerships between the public and private sectors, transferring and localizing expertise by reviewing local and international experiences, pointing out that “smart cities” are no longer a technical option only, but a key pillar to achieve a balance between development, technology, environmental protection and improving the quality of life, which is consistent with the objectives of the Saudi Vision, which made investment in modern technologies, smart infrastructure and renewable energy one of its most important axes in supporting economic diversification and improving quality of life.
Participants discussed the latest smart city systems used internationally, and ways to enhance sustainability and energy efficiency, in addition to enabling partnerships between the public and private sectors and transferring and localizing expertise through a review of local and international experiences. For his part, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Chamber, Badr Sulaiman Al-Raziza, explained that the Eastern Chamber aims through this forum to stimulate the work to apply modern innovations and adopt smart systems that contribute to raising the efficiency of cities and achieving sustainability goals, noting that the forum was an interactive platform to exchange experiences, discuss challenges and review successful models, in addition to it represented a launch towards a smarter and more sustainable future, pushing the wheel of innovation and development to achieve the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030.
For his part, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Chamber, Badr Sulaiman Al-Raziza, explained that the forum was an interactive platform to exchange experiences, discuss challenges and review successful models.
