Dubai: Dubai Municipality has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Urban Planning and Design Institute of Shenzhen (UPDIS), a leading state-owned Chinese urban planning consultancy, on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit (WGS) 2026, reinforcing Dubai's commitment to shaping future-ready cities through international knowledge exchange and advanced urban innovation.
According to Emirates News Agency, the agreement establishes a structured framework for cooperation between Dubai Municipality and UPDIS, focused on strengthening collaboration in urban planning and design, smart and sustainable city development, low-carbon urbanism, and advanced infrastructure systems. Through this partnership, both entities will work closely to exchange expertise and align methodologies that support the delivery of more resilient, efficient, and people-centred urban environments.
The MoU builds on a high-level Dubai delegation visit to Shenzhen in February 2025, during which both sides explored Shenzhen's experience in sponge city design and smart city applications, identifying strong alignment between the two cities' development trajectories and long-term urban priorities. Under the agreement, Dubai Municipality and UPDIS will cooperate in advancing future planning practices and urban design approaches by integrating international best practices with local planning frameworks.
This includes the joint development and application of planning and design technologies related to transit-oriented development, agile and compact urbanism, sponge city concepts, low-carbon city planning, and smart city models. The collaboration will also extend to the application of emerging technologies across urban planning, construction, operations, and city management, supporting the transition toward more intelligent, data-driven urban systems.
The partnership further encompasses cooperation in deploying advanced spatial analysis tools, data-driven planning techniques, artificial intelligence, and urban design principles aimed at enhancing sustainability and liveability. In parallel, both parties will work together to explore new global urban development models that draw on the combined experiences of Dubai and Shenzhen, positioning the partnership as a platform for testing and promoting innovative approaches to future city-making.
In the field of infrastructure, the MoU provides for close collaboration on advanced planning and design solutions, including next-generation ICT systems supported by 5G, integrated underground services, and smart water management systems leveraging AI and big data. These efforts are intended to strengthen the efficiency, resilience, and sustainability of urban infrastructure in line with evolving environmental and technological requirements.
The agreement also establishes mechanisms for ongoing institutional engagement, including annual joint reviews to assess progress, identify new areas for cooperation, and ensure that the partnership remains adaptive and aligned with both cities' strategic priorities. Eng. Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality, emphasized that this partnership reflects Dubai Municipality's strategic commitment to learning and contributing globally.
Yu Lu, President of Shenzhen Urban Planning and Design Institute, highlighted the shared background between Shenzhen and Dubai, creating significant potential for cooperation. She noted that UPDIS plays an important role in international exchange in urban development, governance innovation, and technological application, and that the collaboration can extend beyond technical exchanges to include personnel training, resource and technology matchmaking, and academic and research exchanges.
The partnership supports Dubai Municipality's broader mandate to plan, design, and manage the city in line with Dubai's long-term urban and economic strategies and the objectives of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, while reinforcing Dubai's position as a global hub for forward-looking urban governance and the future of sustainable development.