The ASEAN Smart Cities Summit & Expo 2020 had successfully concluded with the participation of over 1500 delegates in 2 days, October 22-23, 2020 at the National Conventional Center, Hanoi.

Metropoli and its local partners Ecotek and Ecopark had the pleasure to present the ongoing project “The Diamond City” for the creation of an Innovation District in the peripheral area of Hanoi.

Within the “𝐔𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭”, 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟏, Dr. Alfonso Vegara, President of Metropoli Group, stressed that regional planning should be taken into account while developing planning for Hanoi’s smart urban areas. He went on to explain that design for smart cities must include regional connectivity as well as digitalized infrastructure connectivity, to boost future comprehensive growth.

President of the Association of Cities in Vietnam Vo Hong Anh said planning for the development of smart urban areas should be integrated into long-term urbanisation strategies.

Planning for smart cities must be seen as a solid foundation for socio-economic development, and the planning process needs the engagement of ministries, scientists, and private enterprises, she added.

On a regional scale, smart city networks should be shaped to create better lives for local people, adding that only with smart planning can local authorities optimise the management of urban development, improve livelihoods, and create development opportunities to ensure that no one is left behind.