Dubai leads MENA region on Global Power City Index 2022

Dubai is leading the MENA region on the Global Power City Index (GPCI) 2022, issued by Mori Memorial Foundation’s Institute for Urban Strategies. After climbing up three spots globally to rank 11th on the index, the emirate also comes 4th globally on cultural interaction, improving from its fifth position overall on the parameter in last year’s Index.

The GPCI ranks the world’s major cities according to their ‘magnetism’, or power to attract people, capital and enterprises from around the world. The rankings are derived from scores on six parameters: Economy, Research and Development, Cultural Interaction, Liveability, Environment, and Accessibility.

The GCI’s rankings of the top cities in 2022 reflect the self-reinforcing strength of the world’s leading global cities. The top four cities on the list — New York, London, Paris, and Tokyo — are unchanged from 2021. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said the improvement in the city’s rankings on the Global Power City Index reflects the leadership’s vision to make Dubai the world’s best city to live, visit and work.

Dubai leads the MENA region on the Global Power City Index 2022 issued by Mori Memorial Foundation’s Institute for Urban Strategies & ranks 4th globally on Cultural Interaction. We congratulate @LatifaMRM for the achievement that reflects Dubai’s rise as a cultural & creative hub

— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) December 22, 2022

He added that the rankings reaffirm the success of Dubai’s human-centred model of sustainable development.“Driven by the farsighted policies of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the emirate has emerged as one of the world’s great metropolises and a prominent global cultural centre, a dynamic hub for creativity and a destination for talent.”

“The achievement reveals the richness and strength of Dubai’s vibrant cultural environment and its ethos of inclusive development that has brought well-being to its residents from around 200 nationalities. The progress in rankings on ‘Cultural Interaction’ shows Dubai’s emergence as a unique bridge between cultures and markets and its ability to promote engagement between people and institutions worldwide. The progress in various international indices encourages Dubai to raise excellence further and enhance its cultural and creative assets.”

Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, and member of the Dubai Council, said: “Dubai has evolved an integrated strategy to consolidate its position as a city of choice for cultural practices, experiences and consumption. Driven by the vision of our forward-thinking leadership, Dubai has seen remarkable development as a global cultural hub.”

Dubai retained its top position in the MENA region on the #GlobalPowerCityIndex 2022.
Another milestone to its journey of success, reflecting the richness of its cultural scene, embodying our leadership’s vision & support & consolidating its position on the intl cultural map. pic.twitter.com/pRPoUfIOzu

— Latifa MR Al Maktoum (@LatifaMRM) December 22, 2022

She added, “The successful hosting of Dubai Expo 2020, one of the world’s biggest cultural events, and the growth in visitors have added to the city’s cultural dynamism. The city saw more than 11.4 million overnight international visitors in just the first 10 months of the year.

The number of new businesses in Dubai’s cultural and creative industries has also seen significant growth, catalysed by our enhanced value proposition and offerings for this sector. The progress achieved in the ‘Cultural Interaction’ parametre validates the success of our strategic plans and represents a major milestone in our efforts to achieve our leadership’s vision for Dubai.”

The rankings of the top five cities in the ‘Cultural Interaction’ parameter have seen significant changes in the latest GPCI. Dubai has made rapid strides in this category over the last few years.

The issuer of the Index, the Mori Memorial Foundation’s Institute for Urban Strategies, said GPCI 2022 rankings were significantly impacted by how cities responded to the Covid-19 pandemic, which transformed working methods, lifestyles, and economic and cultural activities in cities.