Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman, represented by Muscat Municipality, participated in the ninth edition of the World Cities Summit, held in the Republic of Singapore and concluded yesterday. The summit was themed 'Liveable and Sustainable Cities: Rejuvenate, Reinvent, Reimagine.'

The forum brought together capital secretaries, mayors, and specialised delegations from various countries worldwide to discuss how to achieve smart, regenerative, and sustainable cities for future generations. It served as an ideal platform to showcase best practices, learn from the experiences of others, and develop sustainable solutions for future cities.

The Sultanate's delegation was headed by His Excellency Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Hamidi, Chairman of Muscat Municipality, who commented on the participation, saying: "Prosperous cities are those that maintain high standards of welfare for their inhabitants and can sustainably provide these standards regardless of external conditions. To ensure the prosperity of these cities, we must ensure their ability to adapt to technological, social, environmental, and other changes. This was extensively discussed during the forum sessions, where we learned from the experiences of cities with rich histories and promising futures. We are striving diligently to make Muscat a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainably growing city."

His Excellency added, "This year's forum emphasised the strategic partnership between the public and private sectors in building the cities of the future. Both sectors must work together to achieve this goal. In Muscat Municipality, we call on everyone to collaborate to make Muscat and all Omani cities smart, resilient, and regenerative."

The forum's activities included various events such as the Mayor's Forum, a special symposium for young leaders, the "Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize" award ceremony, and an accompanying exhibition. The event addressed several key topics, including humanising cities, regenerative cities, smart cities, sustainable financing of cities, and future cities.

The World Cities Summit is a biennial event launched in 2008. It has since become one of the most significant international events discussing the cities of tomorrow, attracting hundreds of global cities to participate, showcase their experiences, and engage in discussions about the challenges cities face and their ability to sustain themselves amid rapid changes across various levels.