WeGO Expands Global Partnerships Through Engagements in Samarkand and Baku
Samarkand, Uzbekistan / Baku, Azerbaijan, October 2025— The World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO) has strengthened its international partnerships and advanced its global smart city agenda through active participation in the 10th General Assembly of the Silk-Road Universities Network (SUN) in Samarkand and the Urban Forum in Azerbaijan, co-organized by UN-Habitat and the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
These two major gatherings — one academic, the other policy-oriented — served as platforms for WeGO to connect with academic institutions, city representatives, and government ministries across Central Asia and the Caucasus, reinforcing its role as a bridge between cities and knowledge institutions in driving digital transformation and sustainability.
During the SUN 10th General Assembly WeGO met with Prof.Hwang Sung-Dong, Secretary General of the SUN Network, who expressed deep appreciation for WeGO’s participation and underscored the importance of collaboration between local governments and academia. Prof. Hwang will join the upcoming WeGO Executive Committee (EXCOM) meeting 2025, noting his interest in attending alongside Professor Karim Chelli, Chairman of the SUN Network and President of Canadian University Dubai.
WeGO also conducted a meeting with Mr. Talgat Sharipov, General Counsellor of Kazakhstan in Samarkand, who emphasized Kazakhstan’s growing interest in WeGO’s activities. The Embassy agreed to facilitate online consultations with senior officials from Samarkand and Bukhara, paving the way for potential membership and deeper regional engagement.
A notable highlight of the Assembly was a meeting with Professor Adam Fenech, Nobel laureate and globally recognized climate scientist. Professor Fenech, known for his work on carbon reduction and environmental education, delivered a compelling lecture on strategies for a sustainable future. He expressed interest in collaborating with the WeGO Champions Program, an initiative that empowers youth leaders to shape smart and sustainable cities.
Further academic cooperation was explored in discussions with the Head of the Research Development and Support Office at Georgian American University, who shared enthusiasm for potential involvement in the Champions Program. Follow-up coordination will connect the university with WeGO’s education team to develop concrete collaboration opportunities.
From Samarkand, WeGO’s mission continued to Baku, where the Urban Forum of Azerbaijan gathered policymakers, experts, and local leaders to discuss urban resilience, smart mobility, and digital transformation.
Mr. Kakim Danabayev, a Senior Program Officer at WeGO played a key role in the Forum by moderating Panel Session 4: “The Interplay Between Mobility, Data, and Spatial Planning: Innovative Urban Solutions.” The session featured distinguished experts including Mr. Vahid Hajiyev, Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan; Mr. Fuad Jafarli, Head of Transport Planning at the Azerbaijan Land Transport Agency; Prof. Dr. Raheel Qamar, Chief of Sciences and Technologies Sector at ICESCO; and Ms. Tiffanie Yamashita, Director at Systematica S.p.A.
The discussion highlighted the transformative role of data-driven decision-making, innovative transport planning, and digital tools in restoring connectivity and resilience in post-conflict regions. It also underscored the need for cross-sector collaboration between governments, international organizations, and private innovators in shaping sustainable urban futures.
On the sidelines of the Forum, WeGO conducted a series of high-level meetings with government representatives and institutional partners.
A discussion with the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure of Azerbaijan opened pathways for collaboration on smart housing initiatives and energy-efficient urban systems. Similarly, during a meeting with the Ambassador of Belarus to Azerbaijan, WeGO was introduced to Belgosproekt, a leading Belarusian institute specializing in smart city project development. The organization expressed its intent to pursue pilot projects, knowledge exchanges, and to apply for the Seoul Smart City Prize 2026.
Further engagement took place with officials from the Urban Planning Department of Turkestan Region, Kazakhstan — one of the country’s fastest-growing regions, with a population exceeding 2 million and robust investments in infrastructure, tourism, and renewable energy. The department expressed interest in WeGO membership and agreed to schedule follow-up consultations to explore cooperation opportunities.
WeGO also met with the Deputy Minister of Urban Planning of Turkmenistan, who conveyed strong interest in WeGO’s capacity-building programs. The Deputy Minister introduced Arkadag, Turkmenistan’s newly inaugurated “smart city” near Ashgabat, designed with advanced digital and green technologies. Both sides agreed to facilitate Ashgabat’s potential membership in WeGO and to continue discussions on smart city collaboration through a dedicated virtual meeting.
About WeGO
The World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO), is a membership-based international association of local governments, smart tech solution providers, and institutions committed to the transformation of cities into smart sustainable cities through facilitating public-private partnerships (PPP). WeGO was founded by 50 member cities in 2010 as the World e-Governments Organization, hence our acronym. In response to the evolving concept of smart cities, WeGO expanded its vision and mandate at the 7th General Assembly (2017) and its name to the World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization. WeGO’s Secretariat is based in Seoul, Korea, and has regional offices in East Asia (Chengdu, China), the Mediterranean (Beyoglu, Turkey), Africa (Abuja, Nigeria), Middle East & North Africa (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates), Latin America (Cuenca, Ecuador), and Central Asia (Almaty, Kazakhstan). As the leading platform on smart city development, WeGO’s mission is to share knowledge and good practices in e-Governance; strengthen administrative efficiency and transparency; advance digital capacity; facilitate civic involvement; bridge the digital divide and inequality; and promote cooperation solidarity among cities and local governments around the world.
WeGO serves for its members as their international platform to improve the quality of life, innovate in the delivery of public services, and strengthen regional competitiveness.
Press Contact:
Name: Junho Jeong / Wooyoung Chang
E-mail: secretariat@we-gov.org
Phone: +82-70-4202-9169