Dubai will host the UITP Summit on April 21-23. We spoke to UITP’s secretary general, Mohamed Mezghani, about the event and what visitors can look forward to
Mohamed Mezghani: “For me, the Summit is about people”
Mohamed, the UITP Summit is heading to Dubai in April, less than one year after the edition in Hamburg. What does it mean for UITP and your members to bring the Summit to the UAE in 2026?
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.
The UITP Summit is where the public transport sector meets, and in 2026 that meeting point will be in a city that is shaping the future of mobility. Dubai also provides an international crossroads, making it a powerful setting for what will be three days of global exchanges.
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.
What makes Dubai particularly relevant to the Summit is how mobility is embedded into broader city goals: economic competitiveness, quality of life, sustainability and inclusion. RTA Dubai has demonstrated how long-term vision and strong investment can deliver real results for the city.
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
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.
Importantly, the Summit will be a two-way exchange. While the region has much to showcase, it also benefits from global collaboration, and learnings from international best practices by adapting them to local contexts. That is the essence of UITP’s role as a global association. The world of public transport will be in Dubai for the Summit, and we will all learn from each other.
Can you share what delegates can expect from the Summit programme at this stage?
While the programme is in the final stages of being shaped, the guiding direction is clear. The Summit will continue to focus on the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing our sector: governance, decarbonisation, resilience, operational excellence, funding and finance, workforce development, digitalisation, the passenger experience, and more. This will all be done under the 2026 Summit tracks – Shared Mobility, The Human Factor, Innovation in Bus Systems, The Future of Rail, Funding and Financing, and Smart Technologies and Data.
At UITP, we consistently emphasise that innovation must serve people – passengers, employees and communities – otherwise it won’t have a positive impact if people are not at the core of those developments
Dubai provides a strong backdrop for discussions on smart mobility, automation, artificial intelligence and data-driven operations, but technology will never be discussed as a stand-alone topic. At UITP, we consistently emphasise that innovation must serve people – passengers, employees and communities – otherwise it won’t have a positive impact if people are not at the core of those developments. That’s why the Summit will dedicate space to discuss mobility policies, governance and citizens’ expectations to name a few examples.
The Summit programme will also reflect regional priorities alongside global ones, ensuring relevance for a truly international audience. This will take place inside congress sessions, at exhibition stands, and also at the many various networking opportunities. There’s no shortage of places and spaces to meet and exchange! I know that our delegates love the chance to meet their colleagues and friends from the sector at the UITP Summit.
How has the collaboration been with local partners shaped the Summit planning?
Strong local partnerships are essential to the success of every UITP Summit, and our collaboration with RTA Dubai has been outstanding. We have been collaborating with RTA for more than two decades, organising many events and training sessions, including the 2011 UITP Summit. Their commitment to public transport excellence and knowledge-sharing aligns perfectly with UITP’s own mission.
Beyond the host city, we are engaging with local operators, authorities, industry partners and policy makers across the region, as well as, of course, the media. The Summit just doesn’t arrive in the host city, it is shaped with the local ecosystem every step of the way.
This collaboration ensures that the Summit has both a global outlook and a strong local identity, creating real value for delegates and for the host city alike.
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 with this edition taking place one year after the previous one, it allows us to keep momentum going. We can deepen collaboration and respond more quickly to emerging challenges. Dubai will set the tone for this new era, I am sure of that.
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. Throughout my career with UITP, the most impactful moments have always come from conversations, no matter the context. Public transport is essential to people and inclusive cities, and we can debate the challenges and consider the potential with exchanges. When thousands of committed professionals come together with a shared goal, progress becomes possible.
I am excited to see what the 2026 edition will deliver! It will be both inspirational and fun.
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.
FIND OUT MORE: www.uitpsummit.org/dubai2026
This article appears in the latest issue of Passenger Transport.
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