ADB Water and Urban Development Forum

Cities Alliance will showcase its expanding engagement in Asia and share lessons from regional initiatives supporting inclusive urban development at the 2025 Asian Development Bank (ADB) Water and Urban Development Forum (AWUF).

Taking place at ADB headquarters in Manila from 27 to 30 May, AWUF 2025 brings together development practitioners, government representatives, and regional experts to exchange solutions for enhancing water security and urban livability across Asia and the Pacific.

With support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Cities Alliance will contribute to the Forum through its flagship Urban Mekong Corridor Initiative (UMCI), now in its second phase. The initiative focuses on enhancing inclusion, connectivity, resilience, and integrated urban development in secondary cities across Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Vietnam, while addressing the challenges and opportunities linked to migration in the Mekong subregion.

During the forum, Cities Alliance will highlight how UMCI fosters cross-border collaboration among local governments and urban stakeholders, enabling people-centred approaches to urbanisation, infrastructure, and environmental management in the Mekong subregion. 

Discussions will also focus on how support to cities can help position early-stage, climate-resilient urban development projects for alignment with ADB and other project preparation facilities, paving the way for targeted technical and financial assistance.

Since its launch in 2024, UMCI has convened regional dialogues in Vientiane and Phnom Penh, supported locally led pilots in Phnom Penh, and published a circular economy and waste management guide, to strengthen cooperation on inclusive, climate-resilient development in Mekong cities.

Cities Alliance will also be joined by women mayors from Nepal, whose participation is made possible through the Cities for Women initiative. Supported by the European Union and Finland, the programme promotes gender-responsive urban planning and local leadership.

Participation in AWUF 2025 forms part of Cities Alliance’s broader commitment to fostering locally led, inclusive, and sustainable urban development throughout the Asia-Pacific region.