What are smart cities, and how do smart cities work? A comprehensive answer addressed by the Secretary General of ASEAN, Dato Lim Jock Hoi, indicated that smart city uses science, technology, digital solutions, and other innovative techniques to tackle urban challenges and raise the standard of living of the society. Dato Lim continued that a smart city also fosters social and economic advancement as well as environmental sustainability by employing efficient solutions to today’s and tomorrow’s problems. Due to rapid urbanisation, these efforts require fundamental steps to enhance the people’s life quality and deal with many urban issues, such as competition for scarce resources, environmental degradation, health issues, catastrophes, and pandemics.
To enhance the advancement of smart city development in ASEAN, the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) offers a platform to maintain cross-sector collaboration among stakeholder with other related ASEAN initiatives, enhance smart cooperation among cities to achieve the shared objective of sustainable urban development and smart cities at the regional level. This platform also aims to strengthen collaborations with smart city organizations outside the area. Furthermore, this also can provide more noticeable results by combining the knowledge, skills, and resources on the necessary technology. To know furthermore about the development of smart cities in ASEAN, the map below helps to learn more about the pilot cities and their priority projects. (https://asean.org/our-communities/asean-smart-cities-network/)
Supporting this initiative, UCLG ASPAC is currently preparing the conduct of ASEAN Mayors Forum (AMF) on 6-7 October 2022 in Surabaya (East Java, Indonesia) taking theme “Achieving Smart, Resilience and Sustainable Urbanisation through ASEAN Cooperation in the New Normal”. Through the event, city leaders and distinguished representatives can specifically expect fruitful discussion on the implementation of smart cities and sustainable urban environment after the pandemic.
UCLG ASPAC is the Secretariat of ASEAN Mayors Forum (AMF), a local government entity accredited by the ASEAN. Through AMF, UCLG ASPAC has continuously supported city collaboration by engaging them in various knowledge exchange opportunities.
Photo: Photo by asean.org
