HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Around 100 architects, master planners andofficials have discussed the latest smart-city strategies and solutions at theScience Conference of Urban Management in Ho Chi Minh City: Reality, Problem andSolutions.
The conference which opened in HCM City on October 11 is focusing on smart citysolutions in six categories: community, governance, urban planning,infrastructure, city education and mobility.
Tran Ngoc Chinh, chairman of the Vietnam Urban Planning and DevelopmentAssociation, said the conference’s purpose was to disseminate professionalknowledge, share practical experiences and increase the capability of regionaland urban experts.
The sharply increasing population has exerted enormous pressure on HCM City’sinfrastructure, and smart city development will be able to transform urbanmanagement by using technology.
However, since the city still lacks sufficient capital for development, itneeds to attract more investment and place a high value on its most importantresources.
Growing urban problems such as land subsidence, flooding, waste, trafficcongestion and affordable housing all need to be addressed.
The city also should build modern satellite towns and develop new housingprogrammes, especially for poor residents, one expert suggested.
Besides developing infrastructure, city authorities should focus on educationand investment in human resources as they are the most important factor in HCMCity’s future development, experts said.
High-quality human resources will be the driving force in economic developmentof the city, which is a leader in attracting a large number of workers,professionals, artists and people from other localities in the country.
“HCM City should have special policies to encourage science and technologyresearch," an expert noted.
More than 70 studies about the knowledge economy, innovation and creativitywere presented at the meeting. – VNS/VNA