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Riyadh Jumps 18 Ranks In Global List of Smart Cities

The Saudi capital has jumped 18 ranks to finish 53rd out of a total of 109 cities in the world list of smart cities (Asharq Al-Awsat).
The Saudi capital has jumped 18 ranks to finish 53rd out of a total of 109 cities in the world list of smart cities (Asharq Al-Awsat).
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Riyadh Jumps 18 Ranks In Global List of Smart Cities

The Saudi capital has jumped 18 ranks to finish 53rd out of a total of 109 cities in the world list of smart cities (Asharq Al-Awsat).
The Saudi capital has jumped 18 ranks to finish 53rd out of a total of 109 cities in the world list of smart cities (Asharq Al-Awsat).

The Saudi capital has jumped 18 ranks to finish 53rd out of a total of 109 cities in the world list of smart cities, surpassing global hubs.

Singapore, Helsinki and Zurich topped the index in a year that witnessed a decline in the performance of many European cities, due to the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic and their overall impact on the lives of European residents.

Issued by the Swiss-based International Institute for Management Development (IMD), the Smart City Index, now in its second year, surveyed more than 13,000 people in 109 cities, focusing on how they perceived the impact of technology in five areas: Health and safety, mobility, activities, opportunities and governance.

“According to the survey, which measures residents’ satisfaction in the services and technologies available in their city, the residents of Riyadh are more satisfied with their city’s offering than some of the most advanced cities of the world,” IMD said in a statement.

“The world’s smart cities don’t simply adopt new technology, they make sure it truly improves citizens’ lives,” said Arturo Bris of IMD.

Bris, director of the IMD World Competitiveness Center, said that Riyadh’s performance came as a result of the many improvements the city has implemented.

“Riyadh has made great progress in its performance this year, surpassing cities such as Tokyo, Rome, Paris and Beijing. This is a strong message that Riyadh has come a long way to develop and improve the quality and standard of life of its citizens,” he underlined.

“The progress achieved in Riyadh over the past twelve months constitute an example to follow, and a lesson that other cities can benefit from to become smarter and meet the requirements of their residents,” he added.

Others in the top 10 included Auckland, Oslo, Copenhagen, Geneva, Taipei City, Amsterdam and New York, while Abuja, Nairobi and Lagos ranked bottom.

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Leading Garment Producer Bangladesh Holds Crisis Talks on US Tariffs

Textile and garment production accounts for about 80 percent of exports in Bangladesh. Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP/File
Textile and garment production accounts for about 80 percent of exports in Bangladesh. Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP/File
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Leading Garment Producer Bangladesh Holds Crisis Talks on US Tariffs

Textile and garment production accounts for about 80 percent of exports in Bangladesh. Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP/File
Textile and garment production accounts for about 80 percent of exports in Bangladesh. Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP/File

Bangladesh's interim leader called an emergency meeting on Saturday after textile leaders in the world's second-largest garment manufacturing nation said US tariffs were a "massive blow" to the key industry.Textile and garment production accounts for about 80 percent of exports in the South Asian country, and the industry has been rebuilding after it was hard hit in a revolution that toppled the government last year, said AFP.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday slapped punishing new tariffs of 37 percent on Bangladesh, hiking duties from the previous 16 percent on cotton and 32 percent on polyester products.

Bangladesh exports $8.4 billion of garments annually to the United States, according to data from the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the national trade body.

That totals around 20 percent of Bangladesh's total ready-made garments exports.

Interim leader Muhammad Yunus "convened an emergency meeting... to discuss the US tariff issue," the government said in a statement.

Sheikh Bashiruddin, who holds the commerce portfolio in the government, told reporters after the meeting that Yunus "will raise the issue with the US administration".

Bashiruddin said he believed Bangladesh would "not be severely affected", adding that some other competitors faced "much higher than those on us".

Yunus' senior advisor Khalilur Rahman said the government had been readying for the tariff hike, and had begun talks with US officials in February.

"I have already spoken with several State Department officials," Rahman said on Saturday.

"The discussions are ongoing. We will take the necessary steps based on these discussions."

Bangladesh's tax authority, the National Board of Revenue, is also expected to meet to review the fallout from the tariffs.

Rakibul Alam Chowdhury, chairman of RDM Group, a major manufacturer with an estimated $25 million turnover, said on Thursday that the industry would lose trade.

"Buyers will go to other cost-competitive markets -- this is going to be a massive blow for our industry," he said.

Several garment factories produce clothing for the US market alone.

Anwar Hossain, administrator of the BGMEA, has told AFP that the industry was "not ready" for the tariff impact.

Bangladesh, the second-largest producer after China, manufactures garments for global brands -- including for US firms such as Gap Inc, Tommy Hilfiger and Levi Strauss.