Twenty-six cities from the 10 ASEAN countries have been named pilot cities for the ASEAN Smart Cities Network, according to a concept note released by ASEAN Secretariat on Friday (Apr 27).
The concept note, released as leaders from the 10 countries meet in Singapore this week for the 32nd ASEAN Summit, outlines the proposal to establish the ASEAN Smart Cities Network.
An initiative spearheaded by Singapore, the network is envisioned as a collaborative platform where up to three cities per ASEAN country work towards a common goal of smart and sustainable urban development.
According to the document, most of ASEAN’s growth has been, and will continue to be, driven by urban centres, with 90 million more people expected to urbanise by 2030. However, rapid urbanisation also has implications on issues like city congestion, water and air quality, poverty, rising inequalities, urban-rural divide, citizen security and safety.
“Technological and digital solutions can be utilised to resolve these issues and to enhance quality and accessibility of services, thereby improving our citizens’ lives across the urban-rural continuum, creating new opportunities for them and helping ensure that no one is left behind,” the concept note writes.
Many ASEAN member states have already designated certain areas as smart cities or launched smart city projects, according to the note. The ASEAN Smart Cities Network will synergise these efforts and bring the smart cities together, “thereby contributing to ASEAN Community-building”.
The ASEAN Smart Cities Network include 26 pilot cities. They are (in alphabetical order): Bandar Seri Begawan, Bangkok, Banyuwangi, Battambang, Cebu City, Chonburi, Da Nang, Davao City, DKI Jakarta, Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Luang Prabang, Makassar, Mandalay, Manila, Nay Pyi Taw, Phnom Penh, Phuket, Siem Reap, Singapore, Vientiane, and Yangon.
Highlighting some of the core elements of the network, the note says that member cities will develop action plans specific to their cities. These action plans contain specific projects and actions that the member city will undertake from 2018 to 2025.
An ASEAN Smart Cities Framework will also be jointly crafted by member cities that will articulate the bloc’s definition of a smart city, outline key principles and identify core outcomes.
As part of the framework, member cities can each pair up with one of ASEAN’s external partners to cooperate on smart cities development.
Source : ASEAN.org | Channel NewsAsia | OpenGov Asia
