Dubai is a city planning its mobility future, says UITP

Interview with Mohamed Mezghani, UITP Secretary General

The UITP Summit is heading to Dubai in April for its next global sector gathering. What does it mean for UITP and your members to bring the Summit to the UAE in 2026?

As a city, Dubai represents ambition, leadership and vision, which are qualities that are strongly needed in public transport and align with the future of urban mobility.

UITP has a long and meaningful relationship with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA is the 2026 local host), Dubai and the wider MENA region. Our presence here goes back many decades, and we have accompanied the development and seen first-hand how public transport has evolved into a central pillar of urban development. Hosting the Summit in Dubai is both a recognition of that progress, and a statement about where the global conversation on mobility is heading. It was a big challenge to develop public transport in a city designed for cars, but Dubai succeeded in making it a key piece of its mobility system.

Dubai is known worldwide for rapid urban development and sustainable innovation. How does the city reflect your approach to the 2026 Summit? And also the wider MENA region?

Dubai is a city that plans for the future with real intent. From autonomous mobility and smart infrastructure to large-scale public transport expansion, innovation in Dubai is not by accident or experiment, it is designed to benefit the people. The MENA region is experiencing unprecedented growth and transformation. From Casablanca to Doha, and from Riyadh to Amman, cities and countries across the region are investing heavily in public transport, responding to population growth, urbanisation and ongoing climate challenges.

Looking ahead, what makes the 2026 edition particularly special for UITP?

In 2026, UITP will mark 140 years since the very first Summit was held in 1886. That legacy carries responsibility for UITP, but it also inspires us. Where will we go in the future? And what will we take with us from Dubai? Over more than a century, public transport has continuously adapted to societal change, and today, that pace of change has never been faster. I think Dubai symbolises that evolution. Hosting the Summit here connects our history with our future.

And finally, what does the UITP Summit represent to you personally? You’ve been participating in them for many years now…

For me, the Summit is about people. That was true for my first Summit in 1999, and it’s still true to this day. I had different roles in each of these summits but they all represented defining moments for my professional and personal journey. Public transport is essential to people and inclusive cities, and we can debate the challenges and consider the potential with exchanges. The UITP Summit is, in many ways, a global family gathering for our sector. In Dubai, that family will come together once again–I am excited to see what the 2026 edition will deliver!  It will be both inspirational and fun.

Learn more about the UITP Summit at www.uitpsummit.org