Natasha Turak

Global Cities in a New Light | Middle East and Africa Summit 2024

Natasha Turak, Eric Garcetti, Goodwin Gaw, Nikhil Goel, Yasseen Mansour

Speakers from Archer Aviation, global city leaders, and real estate investors discussed strategies to overcome urban congestion through electric air taxis, high-density housing reforms, and sustainable infrastructure projects like Badia in Egypt. Key figures highlighted the critical need to balance ambitious greenfield experiments such as NEOM with practical financial viability, while advocating for regulatory pathways that bypass entrenched NIMBYism. The dialogue concluded with a consensus that successful future cities require integrated planning combining vertical mixed-income development, autonomous transport corridors, and organic growth models to ensure long-term livability and economic sustainability.