AS massive urbanization has brought challenges in the environment and urban planning management, possessing key knowledge to understand these problems has become the people’s need. To address this, a seminar on “Smart Cities toward Urban Safety” was initiated by UCLG ASPAC in Jakarta on 27 May 2015.
With its mission to promote sustainable urban development, UCLG ASPAC designed this seminar on the Smart City approach and how it might be applied to improve the wellbeing of people. The phases in the development of smart cities should serve as enabling platforms for people to mobilize and regulations must be stablished to ensure the legitimacy and prominence of the systems or tools and to maximize their benefits through city-wide usage. In this effort local governments also need the support of central government.
It was also through this seminar that several areas of technical cooperation at the local level were identified. Roadmap for the concept of Smart City is crucial and it has already been adopted by some cities, both by Bandung and Jakarta. 93 cities in Indonesia and there is a possibility that every city can make the concept of Smart City real. From the central government, there should be a help in identifying which cities are ready.
In the meeting it was also discussed about alternatives of financial resources for local governments, such as from SMI, which provides technical assistance to all regions including non-qualifying regions to improve capabilities & credit worthiness.
This seminar was held on the sideline of IndoWater 2015 Expo in Jakarta Convention Centre (JCC). Duan Wei, Director of Drainage Management Division of Beijing Water Technology, and Aaron Zhang from the Beijing Enterprises Water Group Limited, joined the seminar as panelists.
Scores of key sources were present in this seminar as panelists, including Erna Witoelar, former Indonesian Minister for Human Settlement and Regional Development, Prof. Dr. Sutanto Soehodo, the Jakarta Capital City Deputy Governor for Trade and Transportation, and Dr. Ali Firdaus from the Indonesia Water Institute.
As a moderator of the seminar, UCLG ASPAC Secretary General Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi concluded by remarking that there are 93 cities in Indonesia and there has always been a possibility that every city could implement the concept of Smart and Safety City into force.
UCLG ASPAC’s Coordination Meeting – UCLG ASPAC also conducted a coordination meeting among members. Projects and programs for capacity development and training were presented. The Secretary General strongly hoped that members would grab these opportunities for their own benefits.
As presented by Young-gyu Kang, a UCLG ASPAC secondee from Seoul Metropolitan City Government, a special program on transport and safety issues designed for Indonesian officials has been planned to take place in Seoul in early September 2015. This program was designed to celebrate the MoU to be signed between UCLG ASPAC and Seoul Human Resources Development Center (SHRDC) later this year.
Wakatobi Mayor Hugua briefed members about the planned UCLG ASPAC Executive Bureau and Council Meeting in Wakatobi, from 5-7 September 2015. Makassar’s Vice Mayor Syamsu Rizal, shared matters related to the preparations made by Makassar City Government, which will host the ASEAN Mayors Forum in September.
Some other issues and matters were also disclosed by UCLG ASPAC’s managers Desra (Member Services), Atik (Strategic Services) and Galih (Program Associate). (MH)
