IDENESIA.CO, SAMARINDA - The Samarinda City Government has once again brought pride to the region on the international stage. On Thursday (July 10, 2025), the city was officially invited by the United Nations (UN) to participate in a virtual international discussion titled "Multilevel Governance and Financing: How VLR and VSR Are Reframing Decentralization and Collective SDGs Implementation."
The discussion was divided into two main sessions. The first session was moderated by Fernando Ortiz Moya from IGES and featured:
Oliver Peters, Researcher and Project Manager at the German Institute for Urban Affairs (Difu)
Andi Harun, Mayor of Samarinda
Mara Cossu, Coordinator of the SD Unit, Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, Italy
The second session focused on how VLR and VSR have become essential tools for promoting dialogue and innovative solutions around subnational financing structures. It was moderated by Diana Lopez, Advisor for Cities and Local Governments at UNDESA, with speakers:
Charlotte Lafitte, Policy Analyst and Co-Coordinator of WOFI at OECD
Frederick F. Faidoo, Mayor of Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana
During the forum, Mayor Andi Harun emphasized that Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) and Voluntary Subnational Reviews (VSRs) are strategic instruments for strengthening multilevel governance, building robust data systems, and promoting inclusive decentralization to accelerate the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Tonight, I have the honor of representing the City of Samarinda in this international forum organized by the UN and UCLG-IGES, to highlight the importance of SDG-based planning and governance at global, national, and local levels,” said Andi Harun.
He explained that Samarinda has adopted an action-oriented approach to VLR, focusing on five key SDGs priorities:
SDGs 1 – No Poverty: Reducing inequality through community-based economic empowerment
SDGs 3 – Good Health and Well-Being: Improving healthcare infrastructure, sanitation, and clean water access
SDGs 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities: Building inclusive, safe, and resilient urban environments
SDGs 13 – Climate Action: Tackling flood risk, air pollution, and promoting renewable energy
SDGs 17 – Partnerships for the Goals: Fostering collaboration across government, private sector, civil society, and international partners
These five SDGs priorities have been fully integrated into the Andi Harun – Saefuddin Zuhri 2025–2030 Development Agenda, which includes the following 10 flagship programs:
Community Empowerment Program (IDR 100 million per neighborhood unit/RT)
Flood Control and Modern Drainage Systems
Eco-Friendly Mass Transportation Development
Universal Social Security Card : “One Card for All Services”
Smart City Plus Program
Emergency Medical Calls for Elderly, Children, and Families
Support for 12-Year Mandatory Education
Development of Neighborhood-Owned Enterprises (BUM-RT)
Expansion of Green Open Spaces and Playgrounds in Every Urban Village
Creation of 10,000 New Entrepreneurs
“This UN forum is an important platform to show that Samarinda is among the few cities in the world to have independently developed and submitted a VLR,” said Mayor Andi Harun.
The mayor also shared Samarinda’s roadmap to expand and innovate its sustainability programs with strategies including:
Increased Civic Participation: Launching a digital platform for inclusive, community-based decision-making
Smart Flood Management: Utilizing IoT and AI for real-time flood monitoring and prediction
Expansion of Green Public Transport: Adding more electric buses and bikes, extending services to underserved areas
Universal Social Services Access: Using the integrated Social Security ID as a gateway for health and education access
Smart City Transformation: Adopting blockchain and augmented reality (AR) to enhance public services and education
“The City of Samarinda has also developed a disaster management roadmap down to the urban village level, building strong synergies with state-owned enterprises, civil society, and local businesses to ensure inclusive and sustainable development,” he added.
Closing the session, Mayor Andi Harun stressed the importance of digital transformation in public administration.
“We are accelerating the digitalization of our bureaucracy starting at the neighborhood and district levels. We are committed to simplifying overlapping regulations, strengthening governance, and ensuring the government is more responsive to public needs,” he said.
He noted that the growing demand for faster and more transparent services from the public has become a key motivator for change. Although the transformation is still ongoing, Andi Harun affirmed that the Samarinda City Government is fully committed to advancing participatory, coherent, and globally aligned governance.
“This principle will continue to guide us in planning, implementing, and monitoring policies based on SDG indicators,” he concluded.
(Editorial Team)
