UCLG ASPAC as we know it aims to be the biggest knowledge hub on all issues on all local governance issues in the Asia-Pacific, as it aims to promote effective democratic self-government and good governance. Asia-Pacific local governments are capacitated and supported by UCLG ASPAC to create an enabling environment for sustainable development in cities on the verge of urbanisation, and UCLG ASPAC ultimately wants to gather members to share and enrich their knowledge about the opportunities, lessons learned, and challenges of institutional reform measures and sustainable local development.

Next, UCLG ASPAC also aims to elevate the voices of local governments to the national, regional and global levels as the sphere of government closest to people. UCLG ASPAC highly acknowledges that local governments are ideally placed to understand the local needs and experience the realities in localising national commitments and the global agenda. Within the advocacy network, UCLG ASPAC strives to strengthen the capacity and network of local governments through training, partnership, back local government agencies/associations with knowledge and policy feedback programme and project implementation at the territorial level, as well as monitor and document local and regional experiences to support evidence-based assessment.

This, in turn enables city and local governments to create evidence-based policies and plans. In other words, UCLG ASPAC’s knowledge hub ambitions extend beyond the provision or dissemination of data and information about sustainable development in one of the world’s most rapidly urbanising regions. Examples include the ASEAN Mayors Forum as an existing programme, and  An example is the existing programme such as ASEAN Mayors Forum, and regular production, and dissemination of knowledge products in many forms, including video, animation, webinars, and social media content on all relevant areas of expertise to give visibility to local governments and its association’s causes.

Not to forget, the world has reached its third-year mark since the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic which tested the capacity of local governments on the frontlines of response and prevention of its adverse impacts on the lives and livelihoods of people. This also includes ensuring emerging challenges within localities are not being overlooked including in relation to food security, physical safety and gender-based violence. To better equip local governments, UCLG ASPAC provides training and capacity building for post-Pandemic urban recovery for local governments, with topics that include income generation, particularly in regionally-relevant issues such as returning migrants, and remittance.

At the end of the day, UCLG ASPAC also prioritises a well capacitated Secretariat so that UCLG ASPAC can continue to be great facilitators to local governments and its associations as members. In our daily work, UCLG ASPAC aims to establish knowledge generation structure and capacity to support data and situational analysis, documentation, as well as development of narratives that also support the aspirations of Manifesto 2020-2025.

Other strategies are identifying and establishing effective communications and channels for disseminating relevant information on campaigns, activities and capacity building to members, as well as to potential members. This include through publication, face-to-face and online, towards promoting UCLG ASPAC to local governments and local government associations and building collaboration.

Here is how UCLG ASPAC facilitates knowledge dissemination, management and learning for both members and the Secretariat:

1. The UCLG ASPAC website 
2. LOCALISE SDGs Project
3. SDGs Knowledge Hub – Pakistan
4. Climate Resilient and Inclusive Cities (CRIC) Project
5. Being the Southeast Asia Secretariat for the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCom) Asia Project
6. An E-Learning platform for Asia-Pacific local governments for knowledge and capacity building on carrying out sustainable development. 

For complete information regarding our various activities and support for member cities, please go to our Programmes and Projects page.