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Abu Dhabi, Shenzhen ink strategic twin city agreement for smart urban development

Abu Dhabi, Shenzhen ink strategic twin city agreement for smart urban development
15 Feb 2024 10:34

ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)

Abu Dhabi City, represented by the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities & Transport (DMT), and China's cutting-edge city, Shenzhen, have inked a transformative twin city agreement on Thursday. The strategic pact, signed during the Abu Dhabi x Shenzhen Innovation Forum in Shenzhen, aims to propel collaboration in sustainable and smart urban development.

This landmark agreement, backed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between His Excellency Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Department of DMT, and Qin Weizhong, Mayor of Shenzhen, was announced during the inaugural Abu Dhabi x Shenzhen Innovation Forum (ADSZIF) held in Shenzhen, China from January 25 to 26, 2024.

The Twin City agreement binds both parties to share expertise and join forces on groundbreaking smart city initiatives spanning various domains such as infrastructure, city planning, green mobility, transportation, advanced technology, autonomous solutions, sustainability, and urban development. Notably, four other agreements were signed with Chinese entities to transform city living, as reported by the Abu Dhabi Media Office. 

Al Shorafa expressed Abu Dhabi's commitment to becoming a global pioneer in sustainable and smart urban development. He emphasised leveraging innovation and technology to enhance urban living and the overall well-being of the community. Al Shorafa highlighted the importance of strategic partnerships in realizing ambitious visions and underlined the significance of signing the Twin City agreement with Shenzhen, one of the world's most advanced cities, as a pivotal moment in UAE-China relations.

“We are confident that the agreements signed during the forum will ensure our two world-class cities become even more attractive to citizens, visitors, businesses, and investors in the Year of the Dragon and beyond,” he concluded.

Weizhong lauded the partnership and looked forward to working closely with DMT to exchange ideas and collaborate on smart city strategies. He emphasised that the collaboration “not only cement longstanding ties between China and the UAE but also paves the way to working on the type of innovation and advanced technology that will define global cities of the future.”

The ADSZIF, a collaborative effort between Abu Dhabi and Shenzhen, brought together senior representatives from DMT, Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), and Chinese officials, along with executives from over 15 organisations. The forum resulted in strategic agreements with Shenzhen Urban Transport Planning Centre Co. Ltd (SUTPC), Huawei, Templewater Hong Kong Limited, and Kowloon Motor Bus Company.

It is worth noting that the SUTPC agreement involves the establishment of an International Joint Laboratory by DMT to facilitate training programmes on smart city and mobility. This initiative aims to develop smarter, safer, more efficient, and greener transport systems in Abu Dhabi, including the creation of an Intelligent Mobility Command and Control Centre (IMCCC).

The partnership with Huawei focuses on mutual cooperation in various areas involving data centres, strengthened IT infrastructures, and innovative mobility solutions, contributing to developing a world-leading smart transportation systemin Abu Dhabi.

The agreement with Templewater explores sustainable public transportation solutions aligned with the UAE's Net Carbon Zero 2050 strategy including working on a green bus depot and hydrogen complex to power hydrogen buses and cars in Abu Dhabi by 2025.

Additionally, a Letter of Intent with Kowloon Motor Bus Company aims to enhance the public transport sector in Abu Dhabi, aligning with the Public Transport Transformation Strategy. 

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