Smart City Projects in South-Mediterranean Cities: Challenges, Developments, and a Focus on Amman

Smart city initiatives across the South-Mediterranean region show strong potential for alleviating urban challenges such as congestion, pollution, and inefficient public services. However, these efforts also face significant barriers related to governance, funding, and socio-cultural acceptance. In this paper, we explore the evolution of smart city concepts in South-Mediterranean contexts, with particular emphasis on Amman, Jordan. Through a review of existing pilot projects and the newly formulated 2023–2027 smart city strategy, we highlight the multifaceted challenges the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) faces-ranging from financial and technological hurdles to governance bottlenecks and rapid population growth. We then present a structured set of mitigation strategies, including phased implementations, public-private partnerships, robust data governance policies, and citizen engagement initiatives. By synthesizing these insights, this paper offers targeted recommendations for more sustainable and inclusive smart city transformations, not only for Amman but also for similarly situated urban centers in the South- Mediterranean region.