Euro-Mediterranean Smart City Innovation Centres
Context and objectives
This regional project will create Smart City Innovation Centres in three Southern Mediterranean cities – Fes in Morocco, Tunis in Tunisia and Alexandria in Egypt – replicating the successful experience of the Nice Smart City Innovation Centre in France, with a view to developing smart urban services, and ultimately improving the quality of life of the citizens of the beneficiary cities.
A Smart City Innovation Centre is a platform involving municipalities and other local authorities, research and academic institutions, as well as leading smart city-related companies, allowing them to exchange knowledge and pool data in a single location, thereby multiplying opportunities to develop smart urban services and solutions, thus contributing to their practical implementation and helping cities improve their quality of life.
The project proposes to replicate the successful experience of the Nice Smart City Innovation Centre in three southern Mediterranean territories, in accordance with the specific environment and socio-economic needs of each participating country.
It will benefit around 7 million inhabitants of these cities, while indirect beneficiaries include 9 research and academic institutions and 30 private and public SMEs.
The project is in line with the UfM Urban Agenda, which was adopted by the second UfM Ministerial Conference on Sustainable Urban Development held in Cairo in May 2017, and builds upon the national strategies of the countries concerned, with respect to the promotion of sustainable urban development and the implementation of their digital economy agendas, in particular through the “smart city” approach. It is also fully in line with the UfM Roadmap objectives, and contributes to addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular but not limited to SDG 11 on making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Capitalising on the results of this 1st pilot phase, the project foresees a 2nd phase aimed at creating a Network of Euro-Mediterranean Smart City Innovation Centres, comprised of tandems between Northern and Southern Mediterranean cities, fostering greater knowledge exchange between both shores of the Mediterranean, and advancing regional integration.
In the aftermath, the project is expected to be replicated across the region, creating new tandems between Southern and Northern Mediterranean cities, encouraging further regional integration.
Location
Key figures
Duration:
15 months (1st phase)
Beneficiaries:
7
Total cost:
€1m
Countries:
3
Financial contribution
Promoter’s contribution: 20%
Potential funding perspective through UN agencies and bilateral national agencies.
Promoter
The project is promoted by the Euromed Cities Network, represented by Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis.
The Euromed Cities Network aims to develop partnerships and projects that promote peace and economic development and support cooperative project engineering among its members and helps raise the corresponding finance. The Network consists of cities in Europe and on the northern, southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean basin, together with a number of other partners. It currently includes 150 cities across 27 countries in Africa, Asia and Europe.
Beneficiaries
- The direct beneficiaries include the around 7 million inhabitants of Fes, Tunis, Alexandria.
- The indirect beneficiaries include 9 research and academic institutions, as well as 30 private and public SMEs (10 per each territory).
Key actions
The project will implement Smart City Innovation Centres in Fes, Tunis and Alexandria, in accordance with the specific environment and socio-economic
needs of each participating country.
In a second phase, the project aims to create a Euro-Mediterranean Smart City Innovation Centres Network, composed of tandems between Northern and Southern Mediterranean cities, operating as a platform for smart-city stakeholders to exchange knowledge contributing to creating sustainable, innovative, energy efficient, and inclusive cities.
Results
Creation of an eco-system for the successful implementation of innovative urban development initiatives, targeting innovative and technological solutions to increase e.g. water efficiency, improve municipal waste management, support innovative energy rehabilitation.
Public authorities, academia, students and research centres, as well as the private and public companies brought together.
Territorial capacity building in urban development projects and their initiatives
Public and private SMEs supported in accessing research and innovation data.
Technological transfer and commercialization of research results,
strengthening the linkages between research, industry and other private sector actors.
