The Supervisory Committee of the Arab-European Cities Dialogue Forum (AECD) held a meeting chaired by Prince Dr. Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, Mayor of Riyadh and President of the Arab Urban Development Institute, to discuss preparations for the second edition of the forum, scheduled to be hosted in the Spanish capital Madrid in January 2027.

The meeting was attended by the Mayor of Madrid and co-chair of the forum hosting, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, the Mayor of Rabat, Fatiha El Moudni, and the Mayor of Athens, Dr. Haris Doukas, as members of the Supervisory Committee.

At the outset of the meeting, the Mayor of Riyadh emphasized the importance of building on the successes of the first edition hosted by Riyadh, and enhancing cooperation between Arab and European cities to support the exchange of expertise, develop urban partnerships, and adopt innovative solutions to the challenges facing cities.

The committee discussed updates on preparations for the second edition, reviewed the work of the General Secretariat of the forum at the Arab Urban Development Institute, along with Madrid’s readiness to host. It also reviewed the report of the meetings of the member city groups, including recommendations aimed at developing the forum’s work and enhancing its impact.

The committee also discussed the general framework of the forum program and its main themes, aiming to achieve a shared vision for the second edition and strengthen its position as an international platform for urban dialogue and knowledge exchange between Arab and European cities.

Madrid will host the second edition of the forum following the success of the first edition in Riyadh in 2025, which saw the participation of more than 100 Arab and European cities, 45 international organizations, and over 300 city mayors and urban leaders, under the slogan 'City Partnerships for a Better Future.'

The Arab-European Cities Dialogue Forum is one of the strategic initiatives of the Arab Urban Development Institute, aiming to establish cooperation between Arab and European cities, exchange expertise, and enhance urban partnerships that support sustainable development and improve quality of life.