The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis has transformed many of the world's cities into pandemic hot spots, reversed many socio-economic achievements, and devastated labor markets, leading to adverse economic effects, said United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif at the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) third Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS).
“To find sustainable solutions for Southeast Asia's recovery, cities will need to be adequately resourced so that they can be the engines of sustainable development,” she said.
She said municipal governments should assess, enhance, and deploy their revenue streams to make their cities more sustainable.
SEADS 2022, "Sustainable Solutions for Southeast Asia's Recovery," was held on 16–17 March.
