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AMBASSADOR DIZON-DE VEGA HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF CITY-TO-CITY PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT DURING CALL OF CITYNET OFFICIALS

Top: Ambassador Dizon-De Vega with CityNet CEO Kim JeongKee. CityNet assists local government units from the Philippines during their benchmarking activities in the Republic of Korea and connects them to ROK cities for exchange of best practices in sustainable urban development. Bottom: Ambassador Dizon-De Vega and CityNet CEO Kim with Philippine Embassy and City Net officials.

7August 2023, Seoul - Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea H.E. Ma. Theresa Dizon-De Vega highlighted the importance of city-to-city partnerships in achieving sustainable development goals and mitigating the impact of climate change during the courtesy call of CityNet CEO Kim JeongKee and CityNet Officials at the Philippine Embassy in Seoul on 7 August 2023. Both sides discussed ways to strengthen partnerships between cities in the Republic of the Philippines and CityNet in Korea.

Ambassador Dizon-De Vega stated that international partnerships continue to be effective in helping cities address urban challenges and further sustainable urban development in the Asia-Pacific region. Ambassador Dizon-De Vega likewise underscored the importance of fortifying and strengthening city partnerships, and reinforcing existing CityNet partnerships in the Philippines.

Ambassador Dizon-De Vega recommended that the organization look into potential partnerships in the Visayas and Mindanao for future partner cities to strengthen its linkages in the Philippines. The CityNet Secretariat conveyed the organization's interest in partnering with more cities and municipalities in Visayas and Mindanao, especially those that remain vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters, emphasizing that CityNet is keenly interested in working with Philippine cities to combat climate change and promote sustainable urban development.

The organization emphasized its dedication to supporting member cities in addressing urban challenges given their experience in connecting cities for knowledge exchange and capacity-building projects across the Asia-Pacific region. With the support and engagement of its members, CityNet creates programs and platforms that help increase connections and build capacity across member cities in the Asia-Pacific.

CityNet CEO Kim Jeongkee was joined by CityNet Deputy Director Jaime Paulo Morra, a Filipino, and Ms. Lee Yejin. The Ambassador was also joined by Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario.

CityNet supports numerous Philippine cities, including Makati, Iloilo, and Muntinlupa which are members of the organization's 2023-2026 Executive Committee. CityNet continuously partners with PH cities for the exchange of best practices in urban sustainability, sustainable tourism, and other capacity-building projects. END

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