UAE. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman Dubai World said that Dubai has
invented for itself a new, increasingly flexible and dynamic model of
development largely due to the massive rate and scale of growth in the
UAE.
Speaking about regional concerns and challenges at a session held
recently at the World Economic Forum in Davos on 'Urban Infrastructure:
Starting from the Ground Up', Bin Sulayem said: “While historically
cities have evolved gradually over longer periods of time, in the UAE,
we are creating cities almost overnight, and this unprecedented rate of
growth bring with it a unique set of challenges. These challenges give
birth to opportunities for innovation and creativity.”
He said that Dubai World’s key objective is providing necessary
infrastructure while ensuring sustainable development when designing,
building and funding infrastructure in places where factors are prone
to change and are unpredictable.
Focus on sustainability, flexibility, connectivity, coordination to
match infrastructure provision with growth and financial commitment are
all integral parts of Dubai World’s project planning.
“We strive to provide a high quality of living, which requires not
only the physical infrastructure, but also social and technological
infrastructure. Power, water, roads and sewers, as well as schools,
hospitals, parks, leisure spaces, hotels, retail outlets, require equal
importance. More importantly, a unique identity for developed
communities is vital to give residents a sense of belonging. This is
our role as master planners.”
Bin Sulayem said that lack of collaboration and coordination by
relevant agencies, and lack of integrated planning pose the greatest
risks to large project planning. He said: “In Dubai, we make sure there
is careful coordination of all people and organisations who are part of
team building the city.
“Dubai is a city that dares to dream and do things differently from
the rest of the world. Companies like Nakheel and Limitless say yes to
extraordinary vision when conventional wisdom says no. We build
projects like The Palm, The World, which people said would be
impossible to build.”
Other senior officials of Dubai World also took part in the World Economic Forum in Davos.
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