Ha Noi eyes partnership with Russia’s AFK Sistema on smart city push

At a working session with Senior AFK Sistema leaders, Nguyen stressed that building a smart city is an inevitable step in Ha Noi's modernization process, requiring technologies that anticipate future growth rather than react to it.

Outlining Ha Noi's recent development and its 100-year master planning vision, he said the capital is pursuing a multi-polar, multi-center and multi-layer urban model.

"In this structure, transport, energy, water supply, drainage and digital infrastructure form the backbone of sustainable growth," the Ha Noi Party leader said.

The model aims to create balanced economic space while tackling long-standing urban challenges such as traffic congestion, flooding and environmental pollution, he added.

"On that foundation, Ha Noi places science and technology, innovation and digital transformation at the center of its future development strategy," Nguyen said.

He welcomed AFK Sistema's cooperation proposals and reaffirmed that Ha Noi prioritizes projects with high technological content, especially smart solutions for urban management, digital infrastructure, telecommunications, data systems and other strategic sectors.

With an area of more than 3,300 square kilometers, Ha Noi requires a comprehensive smart city blueprint that integrates technology and finance to ensure effective implementation and long-term operation, the city leader noted.

At the meeting, AFK Sistema Chairman Vladimir Petrovich Evtushenkov and other executives presented the corporation's recent strengths and expressed interest in partnering with Ha Noi in several key areas.

Urban railway development tops the list as it holds a critical role in modernizing transport infrastructure, easing congestion and improving quality of life, Evtushenkov said.

He said AFK Sistema is willing to share experience, technological solutions and management models to help Ha Noi deliver urban transport projects efficiently and sustainably, particularly in underground metro construction.

The group chairman also proposed cooperation on digital platforms for administrative management, public security and smart city operations.

According to Evtushenkov, synchronized digital solutions can improve governance efficiency, strengthen transparency and enhance the city's capacity to respond quickly to emerging challenges.

Another area of interest is the development of a closed telecommunications network with advanced features, the Russian executive said.

This model enables strict control of data flows, reducing risks from intrusive advertising, malware and common cyberattacks, he added.

Evtushenkov said such solutions could play a vital role in safeguarding cybersecurity and information safety for state agencies, critical infrastructure and Ha Noi's smart city services.

At the meeting, Russian Ambassador to Viet Nam Gennady Stepanovich Bezdetko expected that both sides would work closely to expedite procedures for building the Moscow House project in Ha Noi.

The Ha Noi Party Chief assigned Director Nguyen Thanh Tung of the Ha Noi Department of Public Security as the main contact for cybersecurity cooperation.

Standing Vice Chairman of the Ha Noi People's Committee Duong Duc Tuan will coordinate discussions on electric water transport and metro systems, while Vice Chairman Nguyen Manh Quyen will handle cooperation related to the Moscow House project./.