Dubai continued to dominate the MENA region in terms of global engagement levels, according to a study by management consultancy Kearney.
The emirate climbed four places to 23rd out of 156 cities, making it the only city in Mena to be ranked in the top 30 in this year’s Global Cities Index.
Tel Aviv was second regionally while Doha, which restored diplomatic relations with neighboring countries, was third. The capital of Qatar has climbed 15 places in the biggest jump of any city in the world.
The index measures the global engagement of 156 cities in five categories: business activity, human capital, information exchange, cultural experience and political engagement.
It seeks to provide insight into how Covid-19 and the resulting containment measures have affected their level of global engagement.
Cairo and Riyadh were respectively ranked fourth and fifth in the MENA region. The Saudi capital was ranked first by the GCC in the human capital category, highlighting its efforts to attract international talent, Kearney said Monday.
“In the MENA region, the GCC economies, in particular the UAE and Saudi Arabia, are poised to lead the regional recovery, supported by their governments’ accelerated efforts in the five main dimensions of the report.” , said Antoine Nasr, partner and government practice. chief in Kearney Middle East.
“What is also remarkable is that Doha recorded the largest gain in the world for any city, due to the combined benefits of their strengthened economy and newly restored regional ties. This reflects the importance of a balance between self-reliance and global connectivity.
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi and Dubai dominated the Middle East region in a separate global ranking of smart cities, overtaking advanced urban centers such as Tokyo and Beijing in using technology to improve the quality of life for residents. .
Abu Dhabi jumped 14 places to 42nd out of 109 cities in the Institute for Management Development’s 2020 Smart Cities Index, slightly ahead of Dubai, which gained two positions in 43rd, the Swiss institute said.
Dubai was also ranked fourth globally in the cultural experience category on the Kearney Index., reflecting the city’s relatively early reopening to international travelers, according to the report.
In Mena, GCC economies, particularly UAE and Saudi Arabia, poised to lead regional recovery
Antoine Nasr, Kearney Middle East
New York, London, Paris and Tokyo retained their top four positions on the index while Los Angeles made its way into the top five, displacing both Beijing and Hong Kong, both of which dropped one spot, according to the Kearney report.
“Although they were initially the hardest hit by Covid-19, our 2021 report shows that the world’s major cities have once again proven their resilience and adaptability,” said Rudolph Lohmeyer, partner of the National Transformations Institute of Kearney Middle East.
“Their great diversity of strengths positioned them for a faster rebound. “
Overall, 21 cities in the MENA region have gained six or more positions in the GCI ranking compared to last year. Istanbul climbed seven places while Addis Ababa moved up eight places, Kearney said.
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi was ranked fourth globally in Kearney’s Global Cities Outlook, which assesses how the same 156 cities are creating the conditions for their future status as global centers.
This is measured across four dimensions – personal well-being, economy, innovation and governance.
London retained its first place, with Paris, Munich and Abu Dhabi each gaining three places to take second, third and fourth place respectively. Dublin completed the top five.
The category of personal well-being was the biggest predictor of change in overall scores and rankings, reflecting the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Following last year’s jump of 13 places, Abu Dhabi has made further progress, with this year’s change driven by a focus on providing accessible, high-quality healthcare and a commitment to reduce its impact. environmental, which is at the heart of the dimension of personal well-being, says the Kearney report.
He suggested five ways that city leaders can address the challenges facing their cities. These include winning the competition for global talent, embracing the rapidly growing digital economy, ensuring economic resilience by balancing global and local resources, adapting to climate change and investing. in personal and community well-being.
Update: October 24, 2021, 8:01 p.m.
