Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, confirmed that Dubai's leadership and progress in the "Global City Power Index 2023" reflect the efforts made to realize the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the State, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai. This vision aims to achieve top global rankings across various vital sectors, making Dubai the best city to live and work in worldwide. The Crown Prince congratulated Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on Dubai's success in entering the top ten and advancing three positions this year to reach eighth place globally in the index published by the Urban Strategies Institute - Mori Memorial Foundation of Japan, marking it as the first Middle Eastern city to achieve this prestigious global milestone.
He stated, "There is no limit to our ambitions. With the efforts of the sons and daughters of the nation and all who live in Dubai, we enhance the status of Dubai as a model for future cities with qualitative achievements that place it at the forefront of the global scene. Dubai's superiority and achievements are merely the fruits of the wise vision that guides Dubai rapidly towards the highest levels of leadership and excellence according to the highest global standards across various fields."
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum called on both the public and private sectors in Dubai to continue working to enable Dubai's uniqueness as a sustainable developmental model that prioritizes human development, enhancing capacities, and improving quality of life. He emphasized the government's ongoing pursuit of achieving more accomplishments in various global competitiveness indicators and solidifying the foundations of a knowledge-based and creative economy by adopting and preparing modern legislative frameworks and regulatory rules that take into account global changes in all their forms, confirming Dubai's ability to keep pace with them swiftly and efficiently.
He pointed out that "establishing Dubai's position as a key driver of the global economy and enhancing its leading role in creating growth opportunities involves preparing the best working environments that support the national workforce and attract distinguished global talents, improving performance levels, and providing opportunities for innovative ideas to advance comprehensive development and create a global reference model in sustainable and resilient economies."
### Cultural Leadership
According to the index, Dubai maintained its global fourth position for the second consecutive year in the "Cultural Interaction" axis, with London, New York, and Paris occupying the top three spots. Thus, Dubai outperformed major global cities like Tokyo, Istanbul, Madrid, Moscow, and Singapore that ranked fifth to ninth, reflecting Dubai's success in enhancing its leadership and global standing as a cultural destination, a main hub for creativity and innovation, and one of the best cities to live and work in worldwide. This aligns with Dubai's cultural vision, which aims to establish the emirate as a global cultural center, a incubator for creativity, and a meeting place for talent.
### International Benchmark
The index classifies the world's top cities based on their "attractiveness" or "competitiveness" in attracting human resources, visitors, capital, and companies globally. This classification relies on assessments based on six essential axes: economy, research and development, cultural interaction, livability, environment, and accessibility. The index, released annually since 2008, serves as a global benchmark for measuring the performance of cities and enhancing their competitiveness. It is used by governments, companies, and individuals to make decisions related to investment, immigration, and travel. The index also reflects the resilience of cities and their ability to adapt and thrive in the face of global challenges, providing a comprehensive view of the city's overall status and its influence on the global stage.
### Global Superiority
The index demonstrated Dubai's superiority and leadership in several sub-indicators related to work flexibility, cleanliness of the city, in hosting international exhibitions and conferences, attracting visitors and tourists, and the high number of travelers passing through its airports to and from various parts of the world. This has enabled Dubai to advance in the overall ranking, surpassing many renowned global cities.
Moreover, Dubai made progress in sub-indicators within the "Cultural Interaction" axis, ranking first globally in "number of foreign residents," second globally in "number of luxury hotel rooms," and tenth in "number of startups," thanks to the emirate's economic and cultural capabilities, creative environment, and diverse tourism attractions.
It is noteworthy that "Dubai is now one of the most famous cities globally in fields such as economy, finance, business, tourism, and travel, and one of the most successful cities in attracting talents, with over 200 nationalities from various religions and cultures living together in an environment characterized by values of affection and tolerance. Today, it is also classified as one of the most attractive tourist destinations worldwide."
