About the Workshop
EVENT NAME:
The third International Training Workshop on Smart Cities in Asia and the Pacific
“Building safe, resilient, inclusive, liveable and sustainable cities and communities”
DATE:
13-15 May 2025
VENUE:
JICA Kansai Center, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
ORGANIZER:
United Nations Centre for Regional Development of the Division for Sustainable Development Goals, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNCRD-DSDG/UN DESA)
SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTNERS
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Government of Japan
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP)
United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)-Kobe Office
United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP)
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Kansai Center
UNCRD organized the International Training Workshop on Smart Cities in Asia and the Pacific in Kobe, Japan. Supported by MLIT, the Government of Japan, UNDRR, UN-Habitat, JICA Kansai Center, and Kobe City Government, the workshop brought together fifty participants and resource persons, including nineteen representatives, including five governors and mayors from ten local/national governments and organizations such as Battambang, Chiang Mai, Dhulikhel, Makassar, Nusantara Capital Authority (NCA), Penang Island, Seberang Perai, Siem Reap, Sihanouk, and Thailand (Digital Economy Promotion Agency, DEPA).
The objective of the workshop is to strengthen the capacity of local leaders, urban planners, and policymakers to develop smart, resilient cities, with a particular focus on earthquake and flood risk reduction, through the adoption of innovative technologies and sustainable urban solutions.
The opening session featured remarks by the Head of UNCRD, the Counsellor for Global Strategies of MLIT, the Regional Director of UN-Habitat ROAP, the Head of UNDRR Kobe Office, and a representative from Kobe City. The workshop focused on DX for disaster risk reduction (DRR), inclusive urban planning, and building urban resilience. UN-Habitat and UN ESCAP presented smart city guidelines to support the development of enabling environments, while organizations such as UNIDO, JICA, Japanese local governments and private sector partners shared innovative practices and technologies.
Participants took part in group exercises to explore challenges related to earthquake and water-related DRR, identifying potential solutions based on the technologies and approaches shared by the resource experts. These discussions were further enriched through technical site visits. The outcomes of the workshop will be presented at the International Mayors Forum to be held in Toyota City in October 2025.
Documentation
CONCEPT NOTE AND PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME
PRESENTATIONS AND SPEECHES
Session 1
Smart City Implementation: Role of Policy Makers and Planners
- Thematic Presentation 1: Dr. Ganesh Raj Joshi, United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD)
- Thematic Presentation 2: Prof. Tomoo Inoue, Kyoto University
- Presentation on Smart City Guidelines 1: Ms. Kazuko Ishigaki, United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP)
- Presentation on Smart City Guidelines 2: Ms. Sanjeevani Dilanthi Singh, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP)
- Thematic Presentation 3: Ms. Azusa Matsumoto, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
- Country Presentation: Dr. Non Arkaraprasertkul, Digital Economy Promotion Agency, the Government of Thailand
- Special City Presentation 1: Mr. Linne Yun, Siem Reap Provincial Administration, Cambodia and Mr. Naomichi Murooka, Japan International Agency (JICA)
- Special City Presentation 2: Dr. Nobuyasu Ito, RIKEN Center for Computation Science and Mr. Ryohei Kuramoto, Kobe City Government, Japan
Special City Session:
- Battambang Provincial Administration
- Preah Sihanouk Provincial Administration
- Makassar City Government
- Nusantara Capital Authority
- City Council of Penang Island
- City Council of Seberang Perai
- Chiang Mai City
Session 2
Smart City: Disaster Preparedness & Recovery: Advancing the Goals of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
- Thematic Presentation 1: Mr. Paul Elliott Rosenberg, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)-Kobe Office
- Thematic Presentation 2: Dr. Madan B. Regmi, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP)
- Country Presentation: Mr. Daisuke Kakuya, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), the Government of Japan
- Special City Presentation: Mr. Atsushi Kimura, Susami Town Government, Japan
- Presentation by Private Sector: Mr. Daigo Goto, Cold Storage Japan Inc.
Session 3
Smart City: Earthquake Risk Reduction & Preparedness
- Thematic Presentation 1: Ms. Kazuko Ishigaki, United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP)
- Special City Presentation 1: Ms. Fumie Morikage, Osaka Prefectural Government, Japan
- Special City Presentation 2: Ms. Mia Amalia, Deputy for Land and Planning, Nusantara Capital Authority, Government of Indonesia
- Special City Presentation 3: Mr. Ashok Kumar Shrestha, Dhulikhel Municipality, Nepal
- Presentation by Private Sector: Mr. Kazuya Tanaka, scheme verge lnc.
Session 4
Smart City: Water-related Disaster Risk Reduction
- Thematic Presentation 1: Mr. Takahiro Konami, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), the Government of Japan (available soon)
- Thematic Presentation 2: Mr. Tatsuya Tobe, Nihon Suido Consultants Co., Ltd.
- Special City Presentation 1: Mr. Tsutomu Nagata, Kumamoto City Government, Japan
- Special City Presentation 2: Mr. Mohd Nasrul Nizam Bin Nasri, City Council of Penang Island, Malaysia
- Presentation by Private Sector: Mr. Satoshi Negoro, Spectee Inc.