The development authority for Al-Madinah (Medina) is partnering the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) to develop smart city technologies for the city, one of Islam’s holiest shrines and busiest destinations for tourists.

The cooperation will focus on enhancing urban resiliency and safety in Al-Madinah through flash-flood forecasting and urban-drainage monitoring.

KAUST will share its high-resolution climate change projections for the region and also assess the spatiotemporal dynamics of soil loss and sediment transport.

The joint effort was signed by KAUST Vice President of Research Professor Pierre Magistretti and Al-Madinah Region Development Authority (MDA) Chief Data and Innovation Officer Abdulrahman Ibrahim.

As one of the holiest shrines in Islam, Medina receives very large numbers of visitors at certain times of the year. The region is also vulnerable to heavy flash flooding. In 2023, the Al-Madinah region suffered intensive flash flooding during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, when millions of pilgrims were in the city.

Professor Magistretti said that this agreement reflects both organisations’ clear commitment to national progress for the Kingdom.

“I am delighted to sign this cooperation agreement between KAUST and the Madinah Regional Development Authority. By combining our strengths, we aim to deliver impactful solutions to the Madinah region and work together to tackle pressing challenges in the environmental and water sectors, among others,” he said.

The professor highlighted that through joint efforts in research and development for smart cities and data science and through joint training activities, KAUST will catalyse positive change in areas such as urban planning, environmental sustainability and technology for the Madinah region.

“With agreements such as this one, we’re placing KAUST and Madinah in an excellent position to shape a brighter future for Saudi Arabia as a whole,” he said.

“Capitalising on KAUST’s capabilities in distinctive and collaborative research, this MoU establishes the framework for both parties to collaborate,” said MDA Chief of Data Analytics and Innovation Eng. Abdulrahman Ibrahim. He emphasised the importance of harnessing Al-Madinah Region Development Authority’s capabilities in translating research outcomes into actionable strategies for the region’s smart, sustainable and resilient cities.