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Singapore’s Minister of Communications and Information says that his country is ready to lead the region in pioneering Smart City initiatives
Singapore will lead a collaborative network of South East Asian nations looking to speed up the deployment of Smart City initiatives, according to the country’s Minister of Communications and Information.
Speaking at the opening of the ConnecTechAsia event in Singapore earlier today, Mr S Iswaran said that Singapore would look to share its expertise with its regional neighbours in an attempt to kick-start Smart City initiatives in the region.
"We have proposed the foundation of an ASEAN Smart Cities Network which will function as a collaborative platform for South East Asian cities such as Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur, Manilla and Yangon to work together with Singapore towards the common goal of Smart, sustainable urban development.
"Not only will this Smart City initiative synergise innovation and showcase new technologies, importantly it will also facilitate growth and investment in all business sectors across the ASEAN region," he said.
Iswaran said that the continued growth in internet connectivity and digital consumption throughout the ASEAN [The Association of South East Asian Nations] region would herald more business opportunities for citizens of the region in the years to come.
"The future is bright for companies who want to take advantage of ASEAN’s vibrant digital economy.
"The emergence of disruptive technologies has revolutionised the global economy. It has changed entire industries, redefined business models and transformed the nature of work. It has opened up many new possibilities for our people, for our businesses and for our economies. The challenge for us now is how best to navigate this dynamic and evolving landscape, so that we might achieve growth and mutual benefit.
