The 6th annual meeting of the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) was held on July 12 in Indonesia. ASCN
The ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) convened for its sixth annual meeting on July 12, with the focus on fostering smarter, more sustainable urban environments.
The meeting, hosted by Indonesia’s Ministry of Home Affairs in Bali, saw representatives from across the ASEAN region come together.
For Cambodia, the secretary of state for interior Ngy Chanphal represented the country.
“The ASCN is stepping up efforts to promote smart, sustainable cities,” according to a July 12 press release by the ASEAN secretariat.
Muhammad Tito Karnavian, Indonesia’s minister of home affairs, emphasised the need to confront the challenges of urbanisation head on.
“The government needs to continue to push for the implementation of smart cities, building a strong foundation to face the challenges and constraints of global change and modern industrial revolution,” he said.
ASEAN secretary-general Kao Kim Hourn lauded Indonesia’s commitment to the development of smart and sustainable cities in his pre-recorded remarks.
He highlighted the importance of knowledge sharing, evidence-based city planning, and partnerships among the public and private sectors to leverage smart city opportunities.
Safrizal Za, director general of regional administration of Indonesia’s Ministry of Home Affairs, chaired the meeting.
He said: “Collaboration in the ASCN can address the pressing challenges faced by our cities and explore innovative solutions to foster sustainable urban development”.
Participants discussed the implementation of ASCN smart city projects, the development of an ASEAN smart city investment toolkit, and the expansion of ASCN membership.
Representatives from Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Seoul National University were present to explore ways to enhance cooperation and initiate new partnerships.
In preparation for the sixth ASCN meeting, an online gathering took place on June 26, headed by Ngy Chanphal.
Officials in charge of Cambodia’s smart cities at national and sub-national levels participated, including members from Phnom Penh, Battambang and Siem Reap.
In 2021, the Cambodian government formed a smart city coordinating and steering committee comprising representatives from nine relevant ministries and institutions. They identified Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Battambang as future participants in the ASEAN Smart Cities Network.
