The Fourth ASEAN Smart Cities Network, ASCN, officially convened on the 30th of August 2021, via video conferencing, and was attended by National Representatives of ASEAN Member States, Chief Smart City Officers of member cities, ASCN Shepherd as well as senior officials from ASEAN Secretariat. The Meeting was chaired by Awang Haji Mohammad Nazri bin Haji Mohammad Yusof, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications, in his capacity as Chair of the ASEAN Smart Cities Network, ASCN 2021 and National Representative of Brunei Darussalam to ASCN.

The Meeting, among others, discussed the development of an ASCN Online Portal as well as the development of an ASEAN Smart and Sustainable City Investment Toolkit that is targeted to be finalised by September 2021. The Meeting also reviewed the progress, challenges, and way forward of the ASCN Smart City Action Plans of the 26 member cities. This includes an updated of Kampong Ayer Revitalisation Project and Clean Water River Management Project by Awang Aminuddin bin Buntar, Acting Chairman of Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Department as the Chief Smart City Officer of Bandar Seri Begawan under Brunei Darussalam.

The progress and development made with regards to smart city cooperation with the Dialogue Partner and External Partner were also briefed during the Meeting. The meeting agreed for Singapore to renew its tenure as ASCN Shepherd to provide advice and support to the ASCN Chair in line with the terms of reference, for the next two years. The ASCN was established in April 2018 at the 32nd ASEAN Summit in Singapore. It currently has 26 member cities from the ten ASEAN Member States, one of which is Bandar Seri Begawan. The ASCN meet annually to discuss progress on each city's action plan, launch new projects, and explore new opportunities with ASEAN's external partners.

Source: Radio Television Brunei