Indonesia eyes smart city cooperation to deepen ASEAN-Pacific Alliance

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2 hours ago

..ASEAN and the Pacific Alliance represent two regions that are increasingly connected,

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia sees smart city cooperation as an opportunity to deepen practical ties between ASEAN and the Pacific Alliance, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Sugiono said in New York on Tuesday.

“ASEAN and the Pacific Alliance need stronger connectivity. Not only physical connectivity, but also digital connectivity and people-to-people ties,” Sugiono said at the ninth ASEAN-Pacific Alliance Ministerial Meeting.

According to a statement from Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry in Jakarta on Wednesday, Sugiono said stronger connectivity, including through smart city cooperation, could help build a more effective and sustainable partnership between the two regions.

Indonesia sees potential to strengthen networks linking major cities in ASEAN with leading cities in Mexico, Peru, Chile and Colombia, the four members of the Pacific Alliance, he said.

Such city-to-city networks could provide space for ASEAN and the Pacific Alliance to develop more practical cooperation relevant to urban challenges, Sugiono said.

He said partnerships between the two regions should deliver tangible benefits and create new opportunities for their people.

“ASEAN and the Pacific Alliance represent two regions that are increasingly connected, through markets, people and various opportunities for cooperation,” he said.

Sugiono also welcomed the two regions’ commitment to greater economic openness as cooperation between ASEAN and the Pacific Alliance approaches its 20th anniversary.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly and was co-chaired by Thailand and Mexico, representing ASEAN and the Pacific Alliance, respectively.

The meeting covered cooperation in the economy, education and youth, the environment and tourism.

ASEAN and the Pacific Alliance launched a joint online learning initiative on sustainable tourism in 2025, according to Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Indonesia also sees the partnership between the 11 ASEAN countries and the four Pacific Alliance members as creating opportunities for new sources of economic growth and stronger people-to-people ties between the two regions, the ministry said.