Constructing smart cities through the use of public-private partnerships: The case of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates

Mhamed Biygautane ,Stewart Clegg

doi:10.24294/jipd.v8i6.3668

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Constructing smart cities through the use of public-private partnerships: The case of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates

Mhamed Biygautane

Stewart Clegg

Journal of Infrastructure Policy and Development 2024, 8(6), 3668; https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i6.3668

Submitted：14 Dec 2023

Accepted：26 Jan 2024

Published：17 Jun 2024

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Abstract

This article analyses the case of Dubai’s smart city from a public policy perspective and demonstrates how critical it is to rely on the use of the public-private partnership (PPP) model. Effective use of this model can guarantee the building of a smart city that could potentially fulfill the vision of the political leadership in Dubai and serve as a catalyst and blueprint for other Gulf states that wish to follow Dubai’s example. This article argues that Dubai’s smart city project enjoys significant political support and has ambitious plans for sustainable growth, and that the government has invested heavily in developing the necessary institutional, legal/regulatory, and supervisory frameworks that are essential foundations for the success of any PPP project. The article also points to some important insights that the Dubai government can learn from the international experience with the delivery of smart cities through PPPs.

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