Smart SCO cities to intelligent urbanization

As cities across the globe face growing pressures from urbanization, climate change and aging infrastructure, many city mayors are turning to smart-city strategies to ensure sustainable urban development. These strategies, centered on digital transformation, promise energy efficiency, enhanced urban mobility, and streamlined public services. However, their true potential lies in technologies to transform governance and deepen citizens' engagement.

In recent years, urban innovation has increasingly focused on data-driven solutions: smart grids, intelligent transport systems, real-time monitoring of pollution and waste, and AI-assisted public service delivery. These advancements can greatly improve operational efficiency. Yet studies show that smart city models in the Western hemisphere often prioritize technological development over meaningful public participation.

Even when strategies claim to be citizen-centric, their implementation tends to skew toward top-down decision-making due to budgetary constraints, rigid bureaucracies, or vendor-driven platforms. The result is a widening gap between the digital promise of smart cities and the lived experience of their residents.