After three consecutive days, starting from November 28th CityNet concluded their annual Executive Committee Meeting and International Seminar in Hue, Vietnam, with a number of significant results.

In addition to several crucial administrative matters that included the resources mobilization issues, the highest governing body of CityNet has agreed upon a wide array of activities that will sustain the organization to pursue its mission to address urban challenges. Next year’s activities will range from capacity buildings, technical expertise consultations and exposure visits in water management, affordable housing and public transit, among others. Under the theme “The Future of Sustainability in Asian Cities,” CityNet Executive Committee members discussed the future of the Millennium Development Goals cluster that is one of the four clusters drive its programs.

One of the most valuable outcomes of this year’s Executive Committee Meeting was the idea proposed by CityNet Secretary General Vijay Jagannathan on CityNet’s future vision. He gathered support from all CityNet members to develop an “Asian perspective” on urbanization for Habitat III scheduled to be held in 2016. The uniqueness of the Asian experience is the speed and scale of change. According to Mr Jagannathan, the Asian perspective could highlight the fact, as many of our CityNet members have demonstrated, that there is no shortage of innovations and cultural creativity fuelled by the high energy of a large, growing youth population.

Another important point that Mr Jagannathan touched was CityNet’s role in the Smart City Agenda, in which he discussed about the cloud platform system.

Following the Meeting, CityNet members and partners held interactive seminar sessions included Cities of the Future presented by Microsoft Public Sector Asia, Green Technology by Green Technology Center-Korea, Urban Infrastructure Financing Options by Cities Development Initiatives for Asia and Urban Transportation by Korea Transport Institute. CityNet also organized a session on Green Cities with speakers from our member cities, Jakarta, Hue, San Fernando – where they shared their initiatives in implementing green cities – and partners, Asian Development Bank and UN-Habitat.

The series of international seminars became a dynamic forum for approximately 150 participants who came from 65 cities and organizations to network with high-level government officials who have the power and political will to implement innovative ideas in their cities. This reflected the nature of CityNet that connects actors, exchanges knowledge and builds commitment to more sustainable and resilient cities.

The Executive Committee also officially announced that Sidoarjo Regency in Indonesia will be next year’s Executive Committee Meeting host, through an MoU signed by the Regional Secretary of Sidoarjo Regency and CityNet Secretary General.

The detailed report of the Executive Committee Meeting will soon be uploaded on CityNet’s website.