Page 21 - Building digital public infrastructure for cities and communities

TG-DPI4Cities adopts core analytical viewpoints for analysis, deemed necessary to ensure the
sustainability and quality of life of city residents current and future generations. In this context,
DPI for cities integrates the following viewpoints in the design fabric of the shared digital systems
ensuring trustworthiness, safety, inclusiveness, sustainability and resilience:

1. Secured, resilient infrastructure and climate adaptation: Delivering sustainable, safe and
secured, resilient urban infrastructure; integrating meteorological services and early warning
systems; foster industrial decarbonization and urban disaster resilience.

2. Urban environmental sustainability and biodiversity: Embedding biodiversity conservation,
nature-based solutions, air quality management and urban ecosystem services into city planning
and governance.

3. Urban economic transformation and industrial innovation: Enabling inclusive economic
development through sustainable industry, innovation, and the promotion of green and circular
economy models within urban environments.

4. Gender equality, social inclusion and human rights in urbanization: Prioritizing women's
empowerment, human rights, gender-sensitive urban design, inclusive governance, and the
equitable distribution of urban benefits and services.
5. Smart digital governance and data-driven urban management: Developing smart city
platforms, responsible AI systems, applications and services for cities, ICT infrastructure, and
interoperable urban data governance systems.

6. Sustainable urban mobility, tourism and cultural preservation: Promoting sustainable urban
tourism, cultural heritage management, sustainable transport and smart mobility integration.
7. Sustainable urban food systems and rural-urban linkages: Strengthening urban food security,
rural-urban supply chains and sustainable food ecosystems as part of city resilience strategies.

8. Multilateral cooperation and regional urban strategies: Integrating cities into broader
regional and global cooperation frameworks for innovation, economic resilience and SDG
localization.

Unlike siloed e-government projects of the past, DPI for cities provides an open and a neutral
stack-agnostic foundational digital layer for systems and processes, to operate in an efficient and
effective manner.

By digitizing city services and automating urban operations, and by integrating therein all relevant
sustainability and people-centred aspects, DPI for cities can accelerate economic development,
financial inclusion, and can deliver an effective service delivery in cities. However, these opportunities
come with key governance imperatives. Cities must ensure that DPI systems are inclusive (leaving
no one behind), secure, privacy-protective, and accountable in their design and operation.

The importance of sustainability and people-centricity for city development is underscored by
international agendas like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11, which calls
for making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. A people-centric approach to digital

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