The Regional Cooperation Office for City Informatization (RCOCI) was formally established in Shanghai in 2001 according to “the Declaration of City Informatization Forum in Asia-Pacific Region(CIAPR) " and “ the Constitution of Cooperation Commission for City Informatization Forum in Asia-Pacific Region ", which was initiated by the Shanghai Municipal Government and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), in response to the call for Bridging the Digital Divide with the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Industrial Development Organization(UNIDO) , and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
RCOCI, with the aim of promoting city informatizaiton and social advancement, is to provide a platform for government leaders, decision-makers and policy developers to exchange visions, policies and strategies, technologies and products, practices and experiences on ICT application and development, so as to enhance the mutual understanding and cooperation for economic and social development among the participating cities or regions, and to narrow the gap between cities (or regions) in informatization development, bridge the digital divide, jointly develop the digital economy and promote the construction of smart cities, and commit to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
