URBANICE MALAYSIA AND MARMARA MUNICIPALITIES UNION SIGN MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TO ADVANCE SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Istanbul, Türkiye, 1 October 2025 —URBANICE Malaysia and Marmara Municipalities Union (MMU) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)at Marmara Urban Forum(MARUF25), formalising a partnership to strengthen cooperation in advancing sustainable urban development and the localisation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The MoU was signed between Mr. Mustafa Bozbey, President of Marmara Municipalities Union and TPr Ts. Norliza Hashim, Chief Executive Officer of URBANICE Malaysia, representing the shared commitment of both institutions to deepen cooperation and city-to- city collaboration.

The agreement establishes a five-year framework of cooperation aimed at supporting municipalities in Malaysia and Türkiye through initiatives that include SDG localisation, peer- to-peer learning, municipal capacity building, joint research and publications, and cooperation in major regional and international urban forums.

Key areas of cooperation include:

Localisation of SDGs and Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs): Supporting cities and municipalities in aligning local strategies with the 2030 Agenda.

• Peer Learning and Exchanges: Facilitating knowledge-sharing and municipal cooperation between Malaysia and Türkiye.
• Capacity Development: Designing and implementing training programmes to strengthen the skills of local leaders and urban practitioners, with emphasis on climate resilience, smart cities, and inclusive planning.
• Research and Publications: Producing joint studies, comparative policy analyses, and case documentation on sustainable urbanisation.
• Urban Forums Collaboration: Enhancing cooperation through the Malaysia Urban Forum and Marmara Urban Forum as platforms for advancing city-level contributions to global sustainable development.
• Regional and Global Platforms: Positioning this partnership within the Asia-Pacific New Urban Agenda platform and other multilateral mechanisms to amplify the role of local governments in delivering on both the SDGs and the New Urban Agenda, while strengthening South-South and interregional cooperation.

This collaboration also opens new pathways for city-to-city exchanges. Marmara Municipalities Union (MMU) represents 192 member municipalities across11 provinces in Türkiye’s Marmara Region, including six metropolitan municipalities. Through the MoU, Malaysian cities will be able to tap into this extensive network, engaging with diverse Turkish urban experiences. Similarly, cities in Türkiye will benefit from access to Malaysia’s SDG Cities network, comprising 90 and growing municipalities actively localising the SDGs. This mutual engagement will provide both sides with greater opportunities for knowledge exchange, innovation, and collaboration on shared urban challenges.

The signing took place duringMARUF25 (1–3 October2025), an international convening that has rapidly become one of the world’s leading platforms on sustainable urbanisation. With its guiding motto of “Cities Developing Solutions”, MARUF positions cities not only as centres of challenges but also as hubs of creativity and innovation, where local leaders, practitioners, and partners collectively rethink, exchange, and co-create responses to the pressing issues of our time.

Under the 2025 conceptual framework of “on the shore of all possibilities”, MARUF25 called on cities and their partners to transform uncertainty into opportunity — reimagining urban futures that are more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. It was within this spirit of possibility that URBANICE Malaysia and MMU sealed a new chapter of collaboration betweenMalaysia and Türkiye.

The MoU will remain in force for an initial period of five years, with the potential for renewal, and is intended to serve as a platform for sustained cooperation, knowledge exchange, and joint initiatives between Malaysian and Turkish cities in the years ahead.

PRESS STATEMENT: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_QnY-JYXot2LOjLu4A2qU-60ItGG8n_0/view?usp=sharing