IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

Wasl enables digitally signing lease contracts with UAE PASS

• UAE PASS digital signatures ensure secure and authenticated transactions, providing enhanced security and peace of mind.
• Reduce lease processing time by up to 80% with fast and efficient digital signatures.

The World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO) has opened three new regional offices in Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates, Almaty of Kazakhstan and Cuenca of Ecuador to propel global smart city cooperation initiatives.

The organization will introduce achievements and goals of these new regional offices during its annual conference to be held at the Seoul Global Center on Tuesday.

WeRide, a global leader in autonomous driving, joined hands with Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI) for the first test ride of driverless robobus in the Middle East. WeRide had earlier launched the driverless robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi.

This is the first fully driverless test ride of robobus in the Middle East country which will run from today (September 19) until September 22.

In Abu Dhabi, eThekwini's delegation also met with high-ranking officials and innovation leaders in the mobility and digital governance sectors.

In a dynamic push to position Durban as a leading African hub for smart infrastructure, mobility innovation, and sustainable urban development, the eThekwini Municipality has launched a high-level international mission to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This strategic diplomatic and business initiative, spanning 16 to 19 June 2025, is led by eThekwini City Manager Musa Mbhele, and marks a pivotal step in expanding global partnerships aligned with the city’s future-forward development goals.

Self-sufficient city

• 17 KM2
• $20 Billion USD
• Eastern region of South Africa
• 150,000 residents
• 40,000 residential units

Dubai-based URB have unveiled plans to develop Africa’s largest sustainable city known as THE PARKS. The city will provide the world’s highest standard for sustainable living for 150,000 residents. The city will also produce 100% of its energy, water & food on site to become a self-sufficient destination.

The eThekwini Municipality went on a dynamic mission in the United Arab Emirates, aimed at enhancing sustainable urban development and transforming Durban into a smart city.

City Manager Musa Mbhele spearheaded this initiative with crucial discussions scheduled between 16 to 19 June 2025 in Abu Dhabi.

The objective was to forge strategic relationships with key governmental and business leaders that would unlock economic opportunities for the region.

The Smart City Dubai example offers South Africa how to improve efficiencies for both tourists and locals by reducing costs, red-tape via unnecessary paper work and wasted hours.

Earlier this year President Cyril Ramaphosa bore the brunt of a South African backlash after his State of the Nation Address when he announced it was time for South Africa to consider building a smart city.

Zaha Hadid Architects unveils Plans for Khalid Bin Sultan City

Zaha Hadid Architects has unveiled the masterplan for Khalid Bin Sultan City, a new chapter in Sharjah’s urban evolution and the latest in a long-standing collaboration with BEEAH Group. This follows an announcement from 2013 when the studio was first commissioned to design BEEAH’s headquarters, envisioning a fluid, dune-like structure shaped by the UAE’s desert context and engineered for net-zero emissions. That building, completed in 2022, set a new standard for sustainable architecture in the region as it attained LEED Platinum certification, and it remains a benchmark for environmentally intelligent design.