The 21st century has brought many things: social networking, iPhones, driverless cars, terrorism, the Arab Spring, and the ongoing rise of the digital revolution. Yet, it has also seen another significant rising phenomenon: cities. Just three years ago, 54 percent of the world population was reported by the United Nations to be living in cities, compared to 10 percent in the 20th century. The ‘Global 2030 Trends’ report has also seen governance at the city level to be where the real action takes place. From 1990 to 2007 alone, the world saw the rise of Shanghai, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, sitting beside the top modern metropolises like Tokyo, New York, Paris and London. More than ever, it is the success of the city that now determines the success of the state. For Anne Golden, former chief executive officer of the Conference Board of Canada, cities ‘punch above their weight when it comes to creating the country’s GDP’. The race to grab a share in the global economy has now become the new goal of future cities. Egypt is now following the wheel with plans of establishing the ‘New Capital’ in…
