Programme
Future Coastal Cities: Advancing Blue Economy, Digital Governance and Urban Resilience
This programme is provisional and issued by the Secretariat. Times, sessions and speakers may change. This page is updated as revisions are received.
Saturday 10 October 2026
Arrival
Networking while experiencing Sabah's hospitality
International delegates arrive throughout the day. There are no scheduled sessions — the day is given over to arrivals, settling in and the first informal introductions.
Arrival of International Delegates
VIP reception at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) with dedicated protocol handling.
Sunday 11 October 2026
Welcome and Site Visit
Gaya Island
Experiencing sustainable island development and urban placemaking
- Smart Casual Daytime site visit Suitable for outdoor site visits and boat transfers.
Delegation Assembly and Departure for the Site Visit
Boat departure to Gaya Island follows assembly.
Site Visit — Gaya Island
Experience sustainable island hospitality at the resort and learn about its environmental initiatives and the practices supporting conservation of Gaya Island and the surrounding marine park.
Networking Lunch on the Island
Mayor's Welcome Reception
Theme: 'The Spirit of Borneo'
- Business Casual or Resort Smart Casual
Al Fresco, The Magellan Sutera Resort
Kota Kinabalu's iconic sunset and a dinner by the bay, featuring local flavours, culture and hospitality in a relaxed networking setting — an opportunity for delegates to build friendships before formal discussions begin.
Monday 12 October 2026
Leading the Future of Coastal Cities
Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC)
Setting the intellectual agenda for coastal city transformation.
- Business Formal (Lounge Suit) Morning and early afternoon
- Business Formal or National Attire From the Opening Ceremony at 14:30
Registration of Participants
Welcome coffee and tea.
Opening Plenary
Navigating the Future of Coastal Cities: Growth, Density and the Financing Gap
An open forum exploring the central challenge confronting coastal mayors as they accommodate high-density urban growth while closing the financing gap for the infrastructure needed to support it. Drawing on city experience in tackling pollution, strengthening climate and maritime resilience, and advancing sustainable coastal development with digital innovation and AI-driven urban management, the discussion explores how sustainable tourism, trade and maritime industries can be leveraged as engines of growth. Participating mayors and speakers share financial solutions — revenue mobilisation, public-private partnerships and land value capture — to accelerate investment in resilient, inclusive and future-ready urban infrastructure.
Theme: Urban Resilience and Blue Economy (Financing)
- Blue Economy
- Climate
- AI
- Tourism
- Trade
- Maritime Economy
Coffee Break and Exhibition Opening
KKIMD Future Coastal Cities Experience Zone
Showcasing coastal city technologies and urban solutions
KKIMD Blue Economy Innovation Zone
Fisheries sector insights
Two sessions run at the same time. The Mayors’ Leadership Roundtable is closed-door and limited to participating mayors; the Parallel Session is open to all delegates.
Mayors’ Leadership Roundtable
Leading Cities Through Global Uncertainty
A closed-door dialogue on the strategic trade-offs in coastal city governance — balancing high-density development with resident liveability, sustaining public trust, and leading urban transformation amid mounting climate pressures and rapid technological change, while aligning local decision-making with long-term resilience goals. Discussion draws on practical city experience in leadership and institutional resilience: adaptive governance models for periods of uncertainty; sustaining public trust through transparent, accountable local administration; harnessing artificial intelligence to support evidence-based urban decision-making; and embedding climate adaptation into long-term urban transformation strategies.
Theme: Urban Resilience — strategic trade-offs between density and liveability, centred on nature-based solutions
- Leadership
- Governance
- Public Trust
- AI
- Climate
- Urban Transformation
Parallel Session
Building Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities
As rising sea levels and extreme weather intensify, safeguarding coastlines has become a defining challenge for modern urban planning. This parallel session explores how coastal cities can rapidly strengthen climate resilience while protecting vulnerable communities, local livelihoods and vital coastal economic assets. It shares practical experience in urban climate adaptation, flood management, nature-based solutions and coastal protection — including the critical role of mangroves, rivers and other natural systems — and examines how cities can balance waterfront tourism, heritage conservation and economic development with environmental sustainability. Drawing on case studies from Malaysia, the Tourism Promotion Organization for Global Cities (TPO) and Jakarta, the session highlights scalable approaches to strengthening policy, institutional capacity and cross-sector collaboration.
Theme: Urban Resilience and Blue Economy (Adaptation)
- Climate Adaptation
- Flood Management
- Mangroves
- Rivers
- Coastal Protection
- Community Resilience
- Waterfront Tourism
Two separate lunches run at the same time.
Mayors’ Lunch
Networking Lunch
Opening Ceremony
The formal Opening Ceremony, with the Chief Minister of Sabah as Guest of Honour.
Exhibition, Side Meetings and Media
Official KKIMD Exhibition Hall Visit · Networking Coffee Break and Side Meetings · Media Interviews
KKIMD Exhibition - Side Talk
From 16:00
Mayors’ Diplomacy Dinner
KKIMD Official Welcome Reception
Participating mayors, city leaders and international partners come together in an informal setting to mark the official opening of the Dialogue. The evening reflects the spirit of the KKIMD theme — cities and oceans bound together, and partnerships forged through shared purpose.
Theme: Blue Economy and Urban Resilience (symbolic opening)
Tuesday 13 October 2026
Building the Future Coastal Economy
Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC)
Implementing national policy at the local level and unlocking financing for coastal resilience.
- Business Formal (Lounge Suit)
Registration of Participants
Welcome coffee and tea.
Leadership Plenary I
From Aspiration to Acceleration: Implementing Blue Economy Policies in Coastal Urban Contexts
Sets the strategic and policy-planning foundation for the day by examining how state blue economy ambitions can be translated into locally-led implementation. The session explores practical pathways for strengthening the tuna industry, fisheries and aquaculture as pillars of a sustainable marine economy, and for advancing food security through responsible ocean resource management.
Theme: Blue Economy (Policy and Planning)
- Tuna Industry
- Fisheries
- Marine Economy
- Aquaculture
- Food Security
Leadership Plenary II
Smart Coastlines: Digital Governance and Intelligent Marine Urban Futures
Participating mayors share how digital technologies — artificial intelligence, enterprise architecture, urban data platforms, super apps and city command centres — are transforming coastal city planning, infrastructure management and public service delivery. The session also explores how data-driven governance can support innovative coastal development, including floating communities, land reclamation and other next-generation marine urban models.
Theme: Digital Governance
- AI
- Digital Governance
- Enterprise Architecture
- Super Apps
- Command Centres
- Urban Data
Networking Lunch
Leadership Plenary III
Financing and Investing in Resilient Coastal Cities: International Lessons in Unlocking Capital for Climate Action
Examines how cities are mobilising capital to finance climate-resilient coastal infrastructure. Through international case studies, the discussion highlights strengthened municipal finance frameworks, innovative climate financing mechanisms, and public-private partnerships and blended finance approaches that help bridge investment gaps. It also explores how resource circularity within maritime economies can strengthen financial resilience and accelerate the transition towards low-carbon, climate-resilient coastal cities.
Theme: Blue Economy (Financing and Circularity)
- Municipal Finance
- Public-Private Partnerships
- Climate Finance
- New Financial Models
- Investment
Closing Plenary
The Future of Coastal Cities: Building High-Value, Liveable Port Cities
A closing keynote synthesising two days of discussion into a vision for the next generation of high-value, liveable port cities. The session examines how modern fisheries infrastructure, value-added processing, international regulatory standards and sustainable maritime industries can strengthen coastal economies while enhancing urban resilience and global competitiveness. The Dialogue closes on a single charge to participating cities: what will it take to turn this shared vision into implementation?
Theme: Blue Economy (Industrial and Spatial Development) and Urban Resilience (Polycentric Urban Development)
Sunset Dinner
Big Fish, Kota Kinabalu Marriott Hotel
A sunset dining experience overlooking the South China Sea, featuring a curated menu of Sabah's renowned seafood alongside local and international specialities.
Wednesday 14 October 2026
Mayor's Green Legacy Programme
Tun Fuad Stephens Botanical Park
Planting today for tomorrow's coastal cities
- Smart Casual with comfortable walking shoes Suitable for outdoor site visits.
Depart for Tun Fuad Stephens Botanical Park
Please proceed to your designated tree-planting location on arrival.
Friendship Tree Planting Ceremony
Welcome tour of Tun Fuad Stephens Botanical Park. Please proceed to your designated tree-planting location upon arrival.
Farewell Lunch
Departure of international delegates and airport transfers follow.