The ASEAN SDGs Frontrunner Cities Programme (SDGs-FC) is a new initiative under the ASEAN Working Group on Environmentally Sustainable Cities (AWGESC) funded by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF). It aims to support ASEAN cities to achieve inclusive, sustainable, resilient and dynamic development in line with ASEAN Vision 2020. The programme strategically builds on the ASEAN ESC Model Cities programme (2011 – 2017), which had supported and recognised 40 frontrunner cities in their innovative practices/policies in bottom-up environmental management.

In support of the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the SDGs-FC programme has raised the capacity and profile of 24 ASEAN cities, (comprising ‘SDGs Frontrunner Candidate Cities’ and ‘Model Cities’) to develop and scale up multi-dimensional benefit model practices/policies towards clean and green sustainable development. It will also actively catalyse the agenda of SDGs localisation to contribute towards the national voluntary reporting and implementation of the SDGs in ASEAN Member States.