World Cities is a 700,000 EUR (785,000 USD) project managed by theDirectorate General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) of the EuropeanCommission based in Brussels, Belgium. The project originated in a PreparatoryAction of the European Parliament to promote the exchange of experience andbest practice between the EU and non-EU countries on the theme of territorialdevelopment with particular reference to sustainable urban development.
It facilitated the exchange of information and goodpractices on regional and urban development policy issues. Cooperation wasbased on the identification of pilot cities and the development of concreteactions, for implementation in the short-term, in areas including urbaninnovation (smart-city) and green technologies (energy efficiency, low carbondevelopment).
The project was launched in Vietnam last June, in which twoVietnamese cities of Hanoi and HCM City were paired with two European cities –Milan (Italy) and Kosice (Slovakia).
The project was a helpful initiative that provided cities inthe world with opportunities to share knowledge in multiple areas, particularlysustainable development in the era of the fourth industrial revolution(Industry. 4.0), said Vo Van Hoan, chief of the Office of the HCM City People’sCommittee.
Leaders of HCM City and Kosice will meet and discuss thedetails of their future cooperation, he noted.
HCM City has been working on seven breakthrough programmeswith focus on improving growth quality and economic competitiveness, ensuring afavourable and fair investment climate, encouraging innovation and startups,and speeding up administrative reform and smart city building.
The project’s ending brings in a new start as involvedparties are developing cooperation plans in suitable areas, according to RamonLopez, DG REGIO International Relations Officer.-VNA