Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jul 12, 2025

Riyadh, Makkah among 4 Saudi cities in IMD Smart City Index for 2023

Riyadh, Makkah among 4 Saudi cities in IMD Smart City Index for 2023

Four Saudi cities found their place in the IMD Smart City Index for 2023. The Saudi capital city of Riyadh maintained its position as the third smartest Arab city, according to the index, released by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD).
Makkah entered in the index for the first time this year with the 4th rank while Jeddah ranked 5th and Madinah ranked 7th in the Arab world. At the global level, the city of Riyadh ranked 30th, Makkah 52nd, Jeddah 56th, and Madinah ranked 85th out of a total 141 cities in the world.

Intensive efforts from all sides, as well as the use of advanced technologies have contributed to improving the ranking of Saudi cities in various sub-indices. Among these efforts is the national platform for smart cities launched by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA).

The IMD Smart City Index focuses on how residents perceive the scope and impact of efforts to make their cities smart, the extent to which the economic and technical aspects are balanced while not neglecting the human dimensions, and the extent to which they contribute to bridging the gap between the aspirations and needs of the population and advanced trends in the way smart cities are built.

Smart cities, according to their scientific concept, contribute to the development of many key sectors, such as: the smart transport sector through trip planning software and reservations for public transport systems, and the smart economy based on advanced software that contributes to the development of many sectors such as logistics, delivery and joint support services. This is in addition to building platforms interactive with the public to identify their needs and aspirations and interact with them in a transparent manner that puts them at the center of the attention of state agencies, apart from developing and facilitating the access of services to citizens.

It is noteworthy that the International Institute for Management Development is one of the most prestigious institutes of business administration in the world, and an important reference for other international organizations and institutions for competitiveness among countries. IMD is also a basic reference for decision-makers around the world to measure the impact of national strategies in enhancing levels of well-being, achieving progress and enhancing the quality of life.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
×