ASEAN member States have recognized the need to identify technological solutions that can relieve the pressures of rapid urbanization, deliver integrated public services and improve lives. As such, one of the key deliverables of the 2018?ASEAN Chairmanship, held by Singapore, was to establish an ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) with 26?pilot cities. 

While many ASEAN member States have already designated certain areas as smart cities or launched smart city development projects, ASCN is an inclusive and collaborative platform that would synergize these efforts and bring these smart cities together, thereby contributing to efforts to build an ASEAN Community.  

ASCN recognizes the diversity within the ASEAN community and does not seek to impose a monolithic system. Rather, it is a set of national systems that gives due consideration to each country’s developmental goals. 

Since collaboration is at the heart of this initiative, ASCN aims to facilitate cooperation on smart city development and network with external partners of ASEAN, private sector solution providers and multilateral financial institutions. To that end, Singapore hosted the Smart Cities Governance Workshop in May?2018, as well as the Inaugural Meeting of the ASEAN Smart Cities Network in July?2018. To guide its activities, ASCN negotiated and endorsed a non-binding ASEAN Smart Cities Framework and developed Smart City Action Plans. 

These connections have helped to catalyse bankable projects with the private sector. Pilot cities have looked beyond the region, entering into promising partnerships with private sector companies to boost ASCN’s fast-expanding global reach. For example, the partnership between Banyuwangi in Indonesia and the publisher John Wiley and Sons promotes digital-based learning for students in 25?subdistricts in Banyuwangi. In Chonburi, Thailand, the Yokohama Urban Solution Alliance is supporting the development of a smart energy management system. The International Finance Corporation and IBM Asia Pacific have more broadly pledged to work together on the TechEmerge smart cities programme, which is designed to improve the delivery of urban services within ASEAN by matching technology companies with urban service providers and city governments. The types of private sector partnerships are highly varied, which is indicative of the diverse needs of ASEAN cities. 

ASCN also serves as a platform for member cities to form mutually beneficial partnerships with external partners to drive the development of smart cities through triangular cooperation. For example, under the United States-ASEAN Smart Cities Partnership, the United States organized a three-part smart cities programme in July?2019, which included the US-ASEAN Smart Cities Symposium. Singapore and the United States also jointly organized the Singapore-United States Third Country Training Programme workshop on smart cities in December?2019. Japan convened an ASEAN Smart Cities Network High-Level Meeting in Tokyo in October?2019, while the Republic of Korea organized the ASEAN-Republic of Korea High-Level Dialogue on Infrastructure and the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Smart Cities Forum in September?2019. Coinciding with the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit, the Republic of Korea also organized the inaugural ASEAN-Republic of Korea Ministerial Meeting on Smart City in November?2019. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of the Republic of Korea has also invited ASCN members to submit applications to the 2020?K-City Network Global Cooperation Program, which is open to national and local governments and public sector entities. It is designed to offer training and support for project plan development to smart city projects overseas. Australia announced an ASEAN-Australia Smart Cities Initiative, investing 30?million Australian dollars in March?2018. As a follow–up, Australia established a smart cities trust fund with the Asian Development Bank. In addition, the ASEAN-China Leaders’ Statement on Smart City Cooperation was adopted during the 22nd?ASEAN-China Summit in November?2019. 

ASCN’s partnerships also align with the Sustainable Development Goals. While the type of engagement from external partners or private sector solution providers might differ, all are committed to promoting sustainable growth, building resilient infrastructure and partnering with cities to achieve inclusive development. This inclusive approach is the ASCN’s hallmark. It creates opportunities across the rural-urban continuum, leaves no one behind and improves the lives of ASEAN citizens.  

Moving forward, ASCN invites external partners, such as non-ASCN cities, multilateral financial institutions and private sector solution providers, to engage with ASCN and ASCN cities to explore mutually beneficial partnerships for cooperation on smart city development in order to improve lives.