Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, the 2025 Asia Pacific Cities Summit (2025APCS) & Mayors’ Forum will be held from October 27 to 29 at Expo City Dubai. The event marks the first time the Summit is hosted in the Middle East.

The summit is expected to bring together over 150 mayors and delegations from more than 300 cities, alongside policymakers, investors, business leaders, academics and young professionals. Discussions will focus on sustainable urban development, affordable housing, infrastructure, climate resilience, digital innovation, and economic inclusion.

Key urban challenges—including the pressure of rapid urbanisation—will be addressed through new policy commitments and project announcements. Participating cities will introduce initiatives that promote investment, digital transformation and smarter infrastructure, with a spotlight on trade and business opportunities in fast-growing urban markets.

Dubai Municipality will unveil major projects aligned with sustainability and intercity collaboration. Additionally, the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games will present details of its procurement programme.

Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and CEO of Expo City Dubai Authority, said the event reinforces Expo City’s legacy as a platform to address global challenges. “We are honoured to once again welcome the world to Dubai,” she stated.

His Excellency Abdulla Al Basti, Secretary General of The Executive Council of Dubai, highlighted Dubai’s role in advancing sustainable urban models, calling the city “a symbol of global cooperation and continuous progress.”

High-level participation will include Adrian Schrinner, Lord Mayor of Brisbane, as well as mayors and officials from cities such as Abuja, Fortaleza, Jaipur, Karachi, Montpellier and Rabat. Speakers include Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais, Secretary-General Elect of UN Tourism (2026–2030); Dr. Nawal Al Hosany, UAE’s Permanent Representative to IRENA; and Jeong-kee Kim, Secretary-General of WeGo. South African architect Sumayya Vally and AI expert Mo Gawdat are also scheduled to speak.

The event will also present findings from the 2025 Urban Readiness Report, a joint initiative between Expo City Dubai and YouGov. The report outlines the pressures faced by city leaders to balance essential service delivery with long-term resilience.

Dedicated forums during the summit include the Dubai Real Estate Business Forum, hosted with the Dubai Land Department, and a closed-door Mayors’ Forum facilitated by the Milken Institute. The latter will produce a final Mayors’ Accord, outlining shared principles and collaborative strategies for sustainable urban growth.

2025APCS is delivered by Expo City Dubai in partnership with the Brisbane City Council.

Photo credits: Government of Dubai Media Office

Alexander Agafiev Macambira

Alexander Agafiev Macambira is former tech contributing writer for Forbes Monaco.