WeGO meets Mayors and Governor from Colombia in Seoul, Expanding the Latin American Smart Cities Network(LASCN) Initiative in the region
Seoul, February 26, 2024 – WeGO has extended a warm welcome to the four recently elected mayors representing cities across Colombia, including, Cali, Santa Marta, Monteria, and the governor of Valle del Cauca, Colombian government agency PROCOLOMBIA, Asociación Colombiana de Ciudades Capitales (Asocapitales) entity representing and defending the common interests and positions of the Colombian capital cities and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). These mayors embarked on a visit to Korea with the objective of deepening their understanding of smart city initiatives started by Seoul, fostering connections with local governments, and enhancing partnerships with the private sector within the WeGO network.
The mission trip was co-organized by WeGO in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Colombia to the Republic of Korea, PROCOLOMBIA, and IDB aimed at facilitating dialogues and partnerships with key South Korean stakeholders, including WeGO and other relevant entities.
During the WeGO session co-hosted with the IDB, Colombia Embassy, and PROCOLOMBIA delegation, attendees had the opportunity to gain insights into key agendas in the global smart city landscape, and upcoming events through the WeGO Network in 2024. Mayors and other delegates demonstrated interest in participating in the Second Seoul Smart City Prize, underscoring their dedication to fostering innovation and inclusivity in smart city development. The Seoul Smart City Prize, a collaborative initiative forged in partnership with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and WeGO, is designed to acknowledge and highlight pioneering smart city projects that address digital divide using innovative technologies, supporting the vulnerable populations in the digital era.
Another notable outcome of the session was made from the Mayor of Cali, Mayor Alejandro Eder, in becoming a member of WeGO. This marks a significant milestone as Cali would be the first city from Colombia to join WeGO. With a population exceeding 2,200,000 residents, Cali ranks as the second-largest city in the country by area and the third-largest by population, following Bogotá and Medellín. Joining WeGO also aligns with the announcement from the President of Colombia where Cali will be a host city for the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 16 CBD), scheduled for October 21 to November 1, 2024. In addition, The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) country representative in Colombia, Mr. Ramiro Lopez-Ghio proposed a partnership with WeGO, focusing on smart city initiatives together.
In the afternoon, delegates including WeGO Secretary General Jung Sook Park, met with the Mayor of Seoul, President city of WeGO, Mr. Oh Se-hoon. The agenda focused on fostering sustainable economic growth and integrating innovative solutions for Smart City development. Colombian mayors expressed interest in strengthening relations with Colombian cities and exploring areas for future collaboration. Following the meeting, delegates visited TOPIS, Seoul’s transport information service, which operates 24/7 to monitor transport and natural disaster metrics, facilitating swift city responses to mitigate impacts.
During the Korea-Colombia Strategic Partnership & Investment Seminar, Secretary-General Jung Sook Park of WeGO highlighted the pivotal role of Latin American cities within the organization, highlighting the dynamic growth of new members from the region and the active participation of new members in regional dialogue, international cooperation, and knowledge sharing through the WeGO Latin American Smart Cities Network (LASCN). This engagement led to the establishment of the Latin American Regional Office in Cuenca, Ecuador, in 2023 during the 6th WeGO General Assembly with the aim of the continuous expansion of the WeGO network in Latin America and supporting smart cities initiatives in the region.
In her congratulatory remarks at the seminar, Secretary General Park said “WeGO looks forward to working closely with Colombian cities. I believe that the Latin America Smart Cities Network of WeGO is here to promote and strengthen sustainable smart city development in Colombian cities. Through WeGO’s Latin America Smart City Network (LASCN) initiative, WeGO is committed to identifying the specific needs of Colombian cities and connecting them with appropriate partners that can assist them in overcoming their distinctive challenges.”
Finally, WeGO introduced a Matchmaking program designed to facilitate partnerships between local governments and corporations for the implementation of smart city projects. This initiative presents an excellent opportunity to engage Colombian cities in dialogue with other WeGO members from the region, fostering future collaboration and facilitating WeGO’s expansion efforts in Latin America.
These informative sessions provided the Colombian delegation with valuable insights and inspiration to consider for potential integration into their respective city development initiatives. Overall, Colombian cities’ engagement in benchmarking activities in South Korea highlights their commitment to remaining at the forefront of urban innovation, aiming to elevate the quality of life for their residents through strategic partnerships and the adoption of global best practices.
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: Kakim Danabayev
E-mail: kakim@we-gov.org
Phone: +82-70-4202-9169