Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — Renowned international experts have said that creative ideas and superb initiatives are instrumental in building successful cities and contributing to their growth and development. Addressing the 13th Jeddah Economic Forum's second session with the theme of “Cities as attractive environments,” Sunday, they called for creating smart cities that are capable of confronting future challenges and meeting basic requirements of a changing society. “A city which stands on the path of blowing wind and cannot determine its track, will disappear from the urban map,” one of the experts cautioned. Singapore Minister of Trade and Industry Lee Yi Shyan said that his country was successful in spearheading a marvelous housing boom. “Even though Singapore is a densely populated country, it achieved great success in developing cities and making them attractive in both economic and recreational realms,” he said. Leo Taik Cair, an expert at RSP Architects Planners & Engineers Co., presented smart cities of Singapore as the best model for Saudi Arabia. “These cities, with their unique features of safe environment, better education facilities and sound economic base, are successful in attracting huge investments,” he said. Ahmed Dimirkan, Mayor of the Turkish city of Beognot, emphasized the need for applying innovative and creative ideas while preparing master plans for cities. “Turkey has successfully experimented the urban and archeological elements while establishing smart cities as early as 2004,” he said while noting that these cities are a major attraction for both residents and tourists. Noted Saudi expert Dr. Abdullah Dahlan warned against an impending housing crisis in the Kingdom unless quick and realistic solutions are initiated. “There was a wide gap between demand and supply over the past few years, and that resulted in exorbitant hike in housing prices. Nearly 85 percent of Saudi population lives in cities, of which 64.5 percent are in the regions of Makkah and Riyadh as well as in the Eastern Province,” he added. Minister of Economy and Planning Mohammad Al-Jasser said: "We will not overcome the issue of housing through exaggeration and ignoring the achievements." Shuwaish Al-Duwaihi, the Kingdom's Housing Minister, said a renting system will soon be implemented that will help link different real estate offices together. Minister of Commerce and Industry Tawfiq Al-Rabiah said his ministry will work on protecting all parties involved in housing — including the end consumers, financing bodies — and developing companies. In a panel discussion on what makes a city work effectively, David A. Smith, founder of the Affordable Housing Institute of the US concluded that “Cities make nations work, houses make cities work and inclusiveness makes both work together.” Moreover, using the example of a shrinking Detroit Michigan, he said that, “If your city shrinks, it dies.”
