Smart Connected Cities
Harnessing Ecosystem Potential for Digitalization
On 13 February 2024 the GIZ projects “Connective Cities” and “International Smart Cities Network (ISCN)” held a side event titled “Smart Connected Cities: Harnessing Ecosystem Potential for Digitalization”. It took place alongside the main event of “Data-Driven Cities: Conference for the Urban Common Good” held in Nairobi and online 12 & 13 February 2024. The side event brought together 21 representatives from cities represented at the main conference, among them the Kenyan cities Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa and Wote Municipality, Munich, Berlin, and Enzkreis from Germany, as well as Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Ekurhuleni from South Africa.
Cities were able to exchange in a more intimate surrounding on their digitalization journey. Following initial presentations from Berlin on their Smart City strategy Gemeinsam Digital: Berlin (Together Digital: Berlin) and from Munich on its’ urban planning challenges undergirding Smart City efforts, a vivid discussion emerged on common challenges but also differing perspectives.
