14 December 2021 | UCLG ASPAC, a permanent member of the Academy’s Advisory Board, joined the Asia-Pacific Mayors Academy Third Batch virtual opening and the first module. A total of 14 Mayors from nine countries have been selected as Fellows for the third cohort: Shusha and Ismayilli Region (Azerbaijan), Chandpur and Gazipur (Bangladesh), Gelephu Thromde (Bhutan), Kochi (India), Ternate (Indonesia), Taribo and Tabiteuea Island Council (Kiribati), Sepang and Kuala Selangor District Council (Malaysia), Fuvahmulah (Maldives), and Iloilo and Vigan (Philippines).
UCLG ASPAC Secretary General Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi, through a video message, congratulated the Mayors and shared how the Academy was designed to strengthen their capacities and build a network to better equip them in dealing with urban issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among the biggest challenges for sustainable urban development identified by the Mayors during their self-introductions included lack of funds, lack of awareness and commitment among stakeholders, and climate change adaptation.
During the dialogue with alumni, Mayor Bernard Faustino Dy of Cauayan City shared his experiences in developing an initiative addressing the challenge of resiliency as the city is prone to 20 typhoons in a year. He reported that the building of resettlement areas and construction of rainwater harvesting under open spaces are underway. He added that the city is also working on getting the ISO 37122 certification on smart cities.
Module 1 introduced global development frameworks relevant to cities such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Paris Climate Change Agreement, Sendai Framework, New Urban Agenda, and Addis Ababa Action Agenda. An overview of the Voluntary Local Review was also integrated into the discussion.
More information on the Asia-Pacific Mayors Academy is available in its official website: https://www.asiapacificmayorsacademy.org/
