Khobar Governorate Climbs 38 Places in 2025 Smart City Index
The International Institute for Management Development (IMD) announced today that Khobar Governorate has made a significant leap in the Smart City Index 2025, climbing 38 places to rank 61st globally. This remarkable advancement underscores the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's continued progress in digital transformation and innovation.
Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Eastern Region and Chairman of the Sharqia Development Authority, stated that Khobar's rise in the rankings reflects the Kingdom's ambitious vision to transform its cities into world-class urban models.
Moreover, Prince Saud emphasized that this achievement is the result of close cooperation between public and private sectors, working together to build a technologically advanced, economically sustainable, and investment-friendly environment. He reaffirmed his strong support for continuing this development journey and achieving even greater milestones.
Omar bin Saleh Al-Abdullatif, CEO of the Sharqia Development Authority, highlighted that Khobar's improved ranking illustrates the Kingdom's broader advancements across multiple sectors. He also pointed to the city's attractive environment for talent and professionals, ecological diversity, and robust infrastructure—both physical and digital. He credited the progress to ongoing investments in modern technology integration across health, education, transport, culture, and governance.
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