The Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, is participating from today in the I Forum of Dialogue of Arab-European Cities, which is taking place in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), under the theme ‘Urban Partnerships for a Better Future’ until Tuesday, May 13. Its objective is to strengthen the bonds between municipal leaders, communities, and institutions and exchange perspectives on urban, economic, social, and environmental challenges.
After the opening of the forum by the Mayor of Riyadh, Almeida took part in the opening panel, which discussed the transformation of cities through global cooperation, alongside the Mayor of Amman (Jordan), Yousef Shawarbeh; the Mayor of Rabat (Morocco), Fatiha El Moudni, and the Secretary General of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), Emilia Sáiz. The Mayor of Madrid highlighted that the capital of Spain aims to be a city that learns from the world and contributes to the world, emphasizing that in an era where the future is decided at both state and city levels, it is time to take on this responsibility with the conviction that no city progresses alone. In this regard, he stated that Madrid has been working for years to position the capital as an international actor that builds bridges and cooperates with other cities.
During his intervention, Almeida stated that Madrid is now the economic engine of Spain and the economic capital of southern Europe, demonstrating that sustainable growth is possible, and that a global metropolis can maintain its essence and become a world reference.
Common Goals between European and Arab Cities
The Mayor highlighted common objectives and challenges between European and Arab cities, such as climate change, ensuring decent and affordable housing, sustainable and efficient mobility, the integration of all individuals, and combating unemployment. He argued that pioneering solutions often emerge at the municipal level, such as low-emission zones, bike-sharing systems, or electric buses, which prove their effectiveness in one city and then inspire others. Examples like Madrid Río, Madrid 360 Strategy, or Madrid Nuevo Norte were presented by the Mayor to illustrate why Madrid is a city worth considering as an example of innovative solutions. Thus, the Mayor emphasized the need for cooperation to maximize the innovative potential of cities.
A Forum to Address Major Urban Development Projects
The I Forum of Dialogue of Arab-European Cities is organized by the city of Riyadh in collaboration with the Arab Urban Development Institute, the pan-European coalition in favor of decentralization PLATFORMA, and the International Agency of the Association of Municipalities of the Netherlands (VNG International). It brings together mayors, municipal leaders, and representatives of urban organizations, municipal unions, as well as banks and development funds. In total, it has the presence of 120 mayors and 50 organizations representing 20 major urban development projects.
Throughout three days, topics related to infrastructure, service improvement, digital transformation, sustainable financing, and climate change will be addressed. The activities include interactive sessions, roundtable discussions, a mayors’ forum, field visits, and workshops.
This meeting aims to crystallize an alliance between Arab and European metropolises, cities that in geographic terms can form a continuous region of development. Unlike other forums and meetings that focus solely on dialogue and the exchange of best practices, this forum also offers financing opportunities by facilitating meetings between private and public donors and managers of large urban projects.
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