ORGANIZERS
+ UN ESCAP
- ABOUT
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is the regional development arm of the United Nations for the Asia-Pacific region. Made up of 53 Member States and 9 Associate Members, with a geographical scope that stretches from Turkey in the west to the Pacific island nation of Kiribati in the east, and from the Russian Federation in the north to New Zealand in the south, the region is home to 4.1 billion people, or two thirds of the world’s population. This makes ESCAP the most comprehensive of the United Nations five regional commissions, and the largest United Nations body serving the Asia-Pacific region with over 600 staff.
Established in 1947 with its headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, ESCAP works to overcome some of the region’s greatest challenges by providing results oriented projects, technical assistance and capacity building to member States in the following areas:
- Sustainable Development - Macroeconomic Policy and Financing for Development - Trade, Investment and Innovation - Transport - Social Development
- Environment and Development - Information and Communications Technology - Disaster Risk Reduction - Statistics - Sub-regional activities for development
ESCAP promotes rigorous analysis and peer learning in our 7 core areas of work; translates these findings into policy dialogues and recommendations; and provides good development practices, knowledge sharing and technical assistance to member States in the implementation of these recommendations.
ESCAP uses its convening power to bring countries together to address issues through regional cooperation, including:
- Issues that all or a group of countries in the region face, for which it is necessary to learn from each other; - Issues that benefit from regional or multi-country involvement; - Issues that are transboundary in nature, or that would benefit from collaborative inter-country approaches; - Issues that are of a sensitive or emerging nature and require further advocacy and negotiation.
ESCAP provides a forum for its member States that promotes regional cooperation and collective action, assisting countries in building and sustaining shared economic growth and social equity. In addition, ESCAP gives stronger participation to the smaller and often left out voices of the region, the least developed countries, the small island States and landlocked States.
ESCAP provides a forum for its member States that promotes regional cooperation and collective action, assisting countries in building and sustaining shared economic growth and social equity. In addition, ESCAP gives stronger participation to the smaller and often left out voices of the region, the least developed countries, the small island States and landlocked States.
ESCAP provides a forum for its member States that promotes regional cooperation and collective action, assisting countries in building and sustaining shared economic growth and social equity. In addition, ESCAP gives stronger participation to the smaller and often left out voices of the region, the least developed countries, the small island States and landlocked States.
- OUR VISION
ESCAP is committed to a resilient Asia and the Pacific founded on shared prosperity, social equity and sustainability. Our vision is to be the most comprehensive multilateral platform for promoting cooperation among member States to achieve inclusive and sustainable economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific.
- OUR HISTORY
Established in 1947 in Shanghai, China, as the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) to assist in post-war economic reconstruction, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) moved its headquarters to Bangkok in January 1949.
The name was changed in 1974 to reflect both the economic and social aspects of development and the geographic location of its member countries.
ESCAP's mandate was broadened in 1977 by the General Assembly. The regional commissions have since then been the main UN economic and social development centres within the five different regions.
Strengthened by 50 years of experience as a regional think-tank, ESCAP's activities are more and more concentrated on spreading the growth momentum from its more dynamic member countries to the rest of the region.
The ultimate challenge lies in bringing the region's 680 million poor into the economic mainstream, enabling everybody to achieve a better standard of life as envisaged in the Charter of the United Nations.
+ SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT
- ABOUT
In just five decades, Seoul has seen its population increase by 43.3 percent and income soaring by 1,389 percent. This explosive demographic and economic growth was accompanied by the rapid expansion of public infrastructure, the advancement of technology and its use in policymaking. Behind this speedy and tremendous transformation of Seoul were strenuous efforts to tackle urban challenges that followed. With all those efforts, Seoul is now one of the most prosperous cities in the world. But the success story of Seoul does not end there as cities in developing countries are keenly interested in Seoul's development experience and achievements.
To address such needs from the developing nations and cities, Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) has provided partner cities with policy consulting on a particular issue or directly taken part in their urban development projects. Either way, Seoul seeks to help them through the mission not just by resolving pending urban problems but by leading them to grow into more prosperous and sustainable cities. Seoul's experience-based knowledge turns into practical solutions that can be shared with cities in need of them around the world.
Seoul's exemplary policy sharing program raised the city's international profile and increased its local businesses' access to the global market through an extensive network of sister cities and partnerships. In particular, Seoul “packed” these model policies into “policy packages”, which serve as core marketing items for promotions abroad. The policy experiences “packaged” into the program include eight subject areas, including transportation, e-government, waterworks and sewage, urban railways, nature and the environment, and urban planning. The program also features sessions that invite government employees to Seoul from around the world so that they can learn about Seoul's policy accomplishments and take tours to relevant sites. To date, SMG has shared 38 of its policy packages with 32 cities worldwide. In an effort to promote and share its policy accomplishments on the global stage, Seoul began operating an urban policy archive website called "Seoul Solution (https://seoulsolution.kr)."
SMG also launched the quarterly-held Public-Private Partnership Forum for International Urban Development, which provides a major boost to Seoul's policy-sharing efforts by combining Seoul's administrative expertise, the advanced technologies of local businesses, and the extensive overseas networks and experiences of Korea's central government agencies (such as KOTRA and KOICA). Most recently, the forum drew the attendance of 480 people, including participants from 200 businesses and other government organizations, who have great interest in Seoul's policy measures supporting the globalization of local businesses.
SMG has been one of the most active cities in the world in terms of inter-city cooperation and sharing of its experiences in policies and best practices. As Seoul has accumulated expertise and experiences during its rapid industrial development, SMG has turned those valuable lessons into solutions that can easily be applied to cities experiencing similar compressed growth and subsequent problems.
+ CITYNET
- ABOUT
CityNet is the largest association of urban stakeholders committed to sustainable development in the Asia Pacific region. Established in 1987 with the support of UNESCAP, UNDP and UN-Habitat, the Network of cities has grown to include 163 municipalities, NGOs, private companies and research centers.
We connect actors, exchange knowledge and build commitment to more sustainable and resilient cities. Through capacity building, city-to-city cooperation and tangible projects, we help our members respond to Climate Change, Disaster, the Millennium Development Goals and rising Infrastructure demands.
- OUR VISION
• Nurture an enduring network of urban actors that together create sustainable and resilient cities • Forge the largest network of urban stakeholders across the Asia Pacific region • Observe and effectively respond to the changing urban landscape • Promote the exchange of knowledge and best practices • Combat global climate change and champion disaster resilience • Advance urban issues on the global sustainability agenda • Support livable, inclusive, and equitable cities
- OUR HISTROY
Established in 1947 in Shanghai, China, as the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) to assist in post-war economic reconstruction, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) moved its headquarters to Bangkok in January 1949.
The name was changed in 1974 to reflect both the economic and social aspects of development and the geographic location of its member countries.
ESCAP's mandate was broadened in 1977 by the General Assembly. The regional commissions have since then been the main UN economic and social development centres within the five different regions.
Strengthened by 50 years of experience as a regional think-tank, ESCAP's activities are more and more concentrated on spreading the growth momentum from its more dynamic member countries to the rest of the region.
The ultimate challenge lies in bringing the region's 680 million poor into the economic mainstream, enabling everybody to achieve a better standard of life as envisaged in the Charter of the United Nations.
- OUR VALUES
• Connect ityNet brings together local governments, civil society, and the private sector to collectively act for more sustainable cities.
• Exchange CityNet unites key stakeholders to share knowledge and find innovative solutions for urban challenges
• Build CityNet believes in building a movement for more people-friendly, socially just, ecologically sound, economically productive, culturally vibrant, and globally connected cities.
- HISTORY OF CITYNET
CityNet was created in response to the needs of growing cities in the Asia Pacific. In 1982 the 1st Regional Congress of Local Authorities for the Development of Human Settlements in the Asia Pacific was held in Yokohama, Japan.
The Yokohama Congress was organized with the sponsorship of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UN-Habitat) and hosted by the City of Yokohama. The Congress stressed the need to build cooperative links between local level governments and urban stakeholders.
CityNet was officially established in 1987 with the support of UNESCAP, UNDP, UN-HABITAT, the City of Nagoya and 27 members. From that point on CityNet has maintained its mission to promote cooperative links and partnerships throughout the Asia Pacific in order to improve the sustainability of our cities.
