Phnom Penh (VNA) – Nearly 400 delegates from the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF) member cities as well as experts and partners gathered at a conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia to discuss sustainable urban area building and challenges in urban construction.
Addressing the event, which marked the 40th founding anniversary of the AIMF, Phnom Penh Governor Khuong Sreng highlighted changes of Phnom Penh over the past 40 years, saying the capital city has become more modern, while the living conditions of locals have been improved.
However, he said, the rapid development of the city has posed various difficulties on the local administration, especially in housing and traffic.
The Vietnamese delegation to the conference presented the matter relating to planning and developing Hue city in Vietnam’s central Thua Thien-Hue province, Chau Van Loc, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hue city, told Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Phnom Penh.
According to Loc, Hue is about to move about 2,500 households out of the Hue ancient citadel’s areas from now to 2020, helping them settle down and improving the Hue tourism image.
Loc said that Southeast Asian cities have many similarities and can share experience with each other during their development, including matters related to environment and transportation.
However, one of the problems that many cities are facing is finance to build smart cities using technology to deal with environmental pollution and waste treatment.
The conference is held from December 2-5 with various bilateral and regional workshops. The 39th General Assembly of the AIMF will take place on December 4 in Phnom Penh with the attendance of General Secretary of the International Organisation of la Francophonie (IOF) Louise Mushikiwabo and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong./.
VNA