Dubai and Abu Dhabi Among World’s Top 15 Most Resilient Cities

The UAE continues to showcase global leadership in urban resilience, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi ranking among the world’s top 15 most resilient cities in the new Global Cities Resilience Index (GCRI) by Kearney and the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute, unveiled today at FII9 in Riyadh.

Dubai secured 4th place, positioning it as a global model for emerging cities in resilience and preparedness, while Abu Dhabi ranked 13th, reflecting its strength in governance, sustainable finance, and social development.

The GCRI evaluates 31 cities across five dimensions — governance, sustainable finance, innovation, human capital, and global integration — measuring their readiness to turn climate, technological, and social challenges into long-term opportunities.

Riyadh emerged as the global leader in technology and innovation, driven by Vision 2030 investments in digital infrastructure and entrepreneurship. Doha also ranked among the top six globally for economic resilience.

The report underscores resilience as a shared, continuous effort requiring collaboration between city leaders, businesses, and communities to ensure future readiness and sustainable growth.