Smartcitymakassar.com. --Makassar- Makassar City organized a big international-scale event. Between 8-10 September 2015, an ASEAN Mayors forum was held in Makassar. The historical event was organized by the Indonesian City Administration Association (APEKSI), United Cities and Local Government Asia Pacific, and the Government of Makassar Municipality.
The forum aims at providing best preparation among the cities prior to entering into the 2016 ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). The main issue discussed during the meeting was the main potential identified challenges especially at the local or city level governments who will face the direct dynamics of the 'borderless' ASEAN environment. At this situation the local government plays as the forefront or the leading position in which the state's performance depends greatly on them.
The signing of 'Makassar Declaration' on the '8' nuance and marble-made inscribed stone has marked the closing of the forum. The Mayor of Makassar, Moh. Ramdhan Pomanto read the five commitments of developing the ASEAN's cities. These commitments are the support for AEC implementation for the public prosperity, AMF as a regional, national and local power that is rooted from their cities, the ASEAN city as the main pillar of ASEAN community, setting-up a AMF secretariat and shares information dealing with cities developments, and building ASEAN university and ASEAN region city youth forum.* (Iskandar Burhan)
