DUBAI, 29th October, 2025 (WAM) -- Dubai will host the UITP Public Transport Summit 2026 from 21st to 23rd April, underscoring its global leadership in smart, sustainable and people-focused mobility systems.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said the event marks a milestone in Dubai’s journey to shape the future of transport, following its successful hosting of the summit in 2011.
He noted that public and shared transport now account for 21.6 percent of total trips in Dubai, up from six percent in 2006, reflecting the emirate’s sustained investment in advanced mobility infrastructure.
The launch ceremony was attended by senior officials from RTA and the private sector, as well as Mohamed Mezghani, Secretary-General of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), and Renée Amilcar, UITP President.
Al Tayer praised the long-standing partnership between RTA and UITP, which began with RTA’s establishment in 2005 and led to initiatives such as the MENA Centre for Transport Excellence and five editions of the UITP MENA Transport Congress and Exhibition.
Amilcar said the 2026 edition will be the first held in the UAE in 15 years and the first outside Europe under UITP’s new annual format, coinciding with the 140th anniversary of the summit. She commended Dubai’s transformation into a model for sustainable and innovative urban mobility.
Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of RTA’s Public Transport Agency and Chairman of the Organising Committee, said the event reflects Dubai’s strategic vision and commitment to driving public transport innovation across the region.
He added that since hosting the summit in 2011, Dubai has achieved significant progress in smart mobility and public transport integration, reinforcing its global competitiveness and status as a leading hub for excellence, sustainability and innovation.