About ASEAN Mayors Forum
United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) is the association of cities and local governments in Asia-Pacific. It is the largest regional section of UCLG, and links with more than 10,000 cities and local governments. UCLG ASPAC has more than 24 national association of local governments that are available in the region. As an association of cities and local governments in Asia-Pacific, the United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) with its Southeast Asia Committee serves as the host ASEAN Mayors Forum (AMF) Secretariat. It promotes cooperation between local governments and the broader ASEAN region through advocacy, capacity building and training, research, knowledge management, project development and management.
The ASEAN Mayors Forum has been advocating for local government’s indispensable roles and contributions to the ASEAN and global development. Local government is the key factor to achieve a successful development in the ASEAN Community and can help ASEAN realise its goal in building an inclusive and forward-looking community that leaves no one behind. As an association of cities and local governments in Asia-Pacific, the United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) with its Southeast Asia Committee serves as the ASEAN Mayors Forum (AMF) Secretariat. The AMF promotes cooperation between local governments within and the wider ASEAN region, through advocacy, capacity building and training, research, knowledge management, project development and management.
Since its initial establishment in 2011, ASEAN Mayors Forum (AMF) has been promoting sustainable peace, constructive co-operations, and enhancing friendly relations, as well as providing a common ground for sustainable development of all Asian cities and people in the area of economic, social, scientific and technological fields. This forum has become a platform for ASEAN cities leaders and officials to promote collaboration among ASEAN nations and has published declarations since the first ASEAN Mayors Forum in 2011. Besides, the ASEAN Mayors Forum (AMF) has already been endorsing local governments’ responsibilities and contributions to ASEAN development remarked by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the New Urban Agenda (NUA), the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR).
The ASEAN Mayors Forum has the foresight to allow the provincial and state leaders to establish a platform that is geared towards accelerating the sub-regional integration process in the region. Not only can provincial and state leaders share their experiences (including best practices) and network with each other, they can even engage in necessary collective actions such as providing feedback to the national governments and ASEAN Secretariat. As a result, AMF received accreditation from the ASEAN Secretariat as one of the affiliated entities of ASEAN and is the only network of local governments affiliated with ASEAN (included in ANNEX 2 of ASEAN charter).