Hosted by Kota Kinabalu City Hall
Kota Kinabalu International Mayors’ Dialogue 2026
Future Coastal Cities: Advancing Blue Economy, Digital Governance and Urban Resilience
10 – 14 October 2026
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
5 days
8 hours
37 minutes
until the Dialogue opens
Kindly express interest to the Secretariat via the Response Form below.
Proceedings will be conducted in English.
A Welcome from the Mayor of Kota Kinabalu
DATO’ SRI DR. HJ. SABIN BIN SAMITAH, JP Mayor of Kota Kinabalu
“Kota Kinabalu is not organising another conference. Kota Kinabalu is launching a global movement for Future Coastal Cities.”
Welcome to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah — and to the Kota Kinabalu International Mayors’ Dialogue 2026.
It is my great pleasure to welcome Mayors, City Leaders, urban practitioners and distinguished guests from around the world to our city from 10 to 14 October 2026, with the Main Dialogue taking place on 12 and 13 October 2026 at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC). We are bringing together Mayors and City Leaders from around the world to explore something close to my heart: building coastal cities that are safe, green, resilient, sustainable, and ready for the future.
As a coastal city blessed with extraordinary natural and cultural assets, Kota Kinabalu understands both the opportunities and challenges that come with living by the sea. Our cities must continue to grow and prosper while remaining safe, inclusive, green, resilient and sustainable for generations to come.
This is not just another conference. It is an opportunity for us to learn from one another, exchange ideas on the Blue Economy, digital governance and urban resilience, and come together around the Kota Kinabalu Declaration — a shared commitment to the cities we are building for our people.
I look forward to welcoming you to Kota Kinabalu and sharing with you the warmth and hospitality for which Sabah is known.
About the Dialogue
Coastal cities power a remarkable share of the world's economic activity — as gateways for trade, tourism, fisheries, logistics and maritime industries. Yet the same coastline that drives prosperity also carries mounting risk: intensifying climate pressures, rising sea levels, and rapid urban growth are testing the capacity of coastal cities to remain both liveable and competitive. Building resilience is no longer a choice but a shared responsibility — one that demands strong city leadership, sound governance, and closer cross-border collaboration.
Under the theme Future Coastal Cities: Advancing Blue Economy, Digital Governance and Urban Resilience, KKIMD brings together Mayors, City Leaders, policy makers, academia and industry to confront these challenges directly — exploring how coastal cities can grow economically while becoming more resilient, sustainable and future-ready. Deliberately designed to move beyond a conventional conference, the Dialogue is built around actionable collaboration, peer-to-peer learning between cities, and long-term technical cooperation that continues well beyond the closing session.
At the heart of the Dialogue is the Kota Kinabalu Declaration — its defining outcome. Adopted by Participating Mayors during the closed-door Leadership Roundtable, the Declaration sets out a shared commitment to advancing the Blue Economy, Digital Governance, Urban Resilience and international cooperation, giving lasting form to the ideas exchanged and establishing a foundation for continued collaboration among coastal cities long after the Dialogue concludes.
Why Kota Kinabalu
Situated within the globally significant Coral Triangle, Kota Kinabalu combines exceptional marine biodiversity with rapid urban growth and climate exposure. As Sabah's capital and principal coastal, administrative and maritime gateway, it offers a fitting setting for international dialogue on the future of coastal cities. Strategically located at the heart of Southeast Asia's maritime region, Kota Kinabalu provides a compelling platform for regional and international collaboration, policy dialogue, sustainable investment, and innovation partnerships that will shape the next generation of resilient coastal cities.
The Dialogue supports the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 Development Plan, advancing discussion on blue economy development, digital transformation, climate resilience and sustainable infrastructure — demonstrating how state-level aspirations translate into practical, locally-led programmes.
It is here, in Kota Kinabalu, that the Dialogue reaches its culmination with the signing of the Kota Kinabalu Declaration.
The Six Strategic Objectives
- Strengthen leadership for future coastal cities A trusted platform for participating mayors to exchange governance strategies balancing growth, sustainability and liveability.
- Advance blue economy development Integrated approaches to fisheries, maritime industry, coastal tourism, food security and marine conservation.
- Promote digital governance Artificial intelligence, digital twins, geospatial intelligence and smart city platforms for evidence-based decision-making.
- Accelerate climate and urban resilience Practical solutions in climate adaptation, disaster preparedness and nature-based infrastructure.
- Unlock sustainable urban financing Municipal finance reform, public-private partnerships, blended and climate finance.
- Strengthen international cooperation Collaboration among cities, governments, multilaterals, academia and industry.
The Five Days
Tentative programme, as of 23 September 2026
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Sat 10 Oct
Arrival
Networking while experiencing Sabah's hospitality
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Sun 11 Oct
Welcome and Site Visit
Experiencing sustainable island development and urban placemaking
Gaya Island
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Mon 12 Oct
Leading the Future of Coastal Cities
Setting the intellectual agenda for coastal city transformation
Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC)
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Tue 13 Oct
Building the Future Coastal Economy
Implementing national policy at the local level and unlocking financing for coastal resilience
Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC)
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Wed 14 Oct
Mayor's Green Legacy Programme
Planting today for tomorrow's coastal cities
Tun Fuad Stephens Botanical Park
Participating Mayors
The mayors leading city delegations to the Dialogue. Participation is by invitation.
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YBhg. Dato HILMY BIN OTHMAN Mayor of Kuching North City Commission, Sarawak, MALAYSIA -
YH Dato' ZALIZA BIN ZULKIPLI Mayor of Kuantan, Pahang, MALAYSIA -
The Honourable GREG OSTERTAG Mayor of Mount Vernon, Texas, USA -
YBhg. Dato' Haji ABD HAMID BIN HUSSAIN Mayor of Klang Royal City Council, Selangor, MALAYSIA -
CHULHO KANG Dong-gu Office, Busan Metropolitan City SOUTH KOREA -
The Honourable RAMON "RB" JOSE BLAS CAMACHO Mayor of Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands -
The Honourable EDWIN PALACIOS ALDAN Mayor of Tinian and Aguiguan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands -
HENDRA HIDAYAT Mayor, Administrative City Government of North Jakarta, INDONESIA - The Honourable VALENTINO TAISACAN Mayor of Northern Islands, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Supporting Partners
Organisations supporting the Kota Kinabalu International Mayors’ Dialogue 2026.
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State Government -
U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur -
Tourism Promotion Organization for Global Cities (TPO) -
Sabah Maju Jaya Secretariat (SSMJ) -
Malaysian Communications & Multimedia Commission (MCMC) -
Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA) -
Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) -
Energy Commission of Sabah (ECoS) -
ITMAX System Berhad -
Think City -
Khazanah Nasional Berhad -
Advancing Malaysia -
Bullish Aim Sdn Bhd -
KPJ Sabah Specialist Hospital -
Malaysian Institute of Architects -
C40 Cities -
Qhazanah Sabah Berhad -
KOJASA -
SEDCO
Proceedings will be conducted in English.
Parties wishing to express interest in participating in the Dialogue may contact the KKIMD Secretariat through the Response Form below.
Please note that this is an expression of interest and not a registration form. Submission does not reserve a place or constitute confirmation of attendance. All enquiries will be reviewed by the Secretariat, and a response will be provided directly.