Dubai remains active in its efforts to transform itself into one of the leading smart cities in the world. Despite the many milestones the city's public sector has achieved in this regard, there are still several challenges that must be addressed to help it further advance. First, the city needs to integrate information and communication technologies to enhance urban services and working environments. In addition, Dubai must increase its per capita bandwidth shares to stay relevant with emerging global trends.
In the century of information and knowledge, the International Internet Bandwidth per capita is considered a reliable indicator in measuring the progress of nations. UAE topped the Arab World on the indicator, although it still lags behind compared to developed countries. In 2012, it ranked 52nd worldwide but for a country among developed nations, this grade could be further improved. Dubai's share is the biggest in the UAE but the city can greatly benefit from increasing this significantly. It also needs to develop mobile applications that monitor traffic and conduct instant polls to enhance public sector facilities.
Dubai needs to promote a culture of innovation to accomplish its goal of becoming a smart city. Pursuing an effective method towards integrating creative ideas on knowledge transfer and skills development is also key in achieving the city's vision. Additionally, many factors must be taken into account and addressed in order to realize the evolution of the city.
