More than 200 leaders from across Asia and the Pacific gathered in Jakarta with a shared goal: advancing tobacco- and nicotine-free cities.
At a time when alternative nicotine products are rapidly gaining popularity, particularly among young people, the 8th Asia Pacific Cities Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT) Summit highlighted the urgent need for coordinated, city-level action.
The summit, themed “Together We Bring Health Solutions,” brought together delegates from 41 cities across eight countries. Participants included 21 mayors, vice mayors and governors, alongside public health specialists, academics, civil society representatives, youth, journalists and public health professionals, all united in addressing the challenges posed by tobacco use.
Since its formation in 2016, APCAT has grown to 133 cities across 12 countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. The alliance aims to strengthen political commitment, foster partnerships and improve health system performance. Vital Strategies has been instrumental in APCAT’s formation and continues to support the alliance with technical advice and strategic development.
A key message throughout the summit was the need for stronger collaboration across all levels of government. “Strong collaboration between national and subnational governments, supported by development partners and city networks, is essential,” said Dr. Hasto Wardoyo, Mayor of Yogyakarta, Indonesia and newly appointed Chair of APCAT, noting that city leadership alone is not enough to address complex public health challenges.
The importance of turning tobacco control policy into practice was also a central focus. “Strong policies achieve their full impact only when they are effectively enforced,” said Gan Quan, Senior Vice President, Tobacco Control at Vital Strategies.
He highlighted enforcement as a critical governance choice that leads to cleaner public spaces, healthier communities and increased public trust. Vital Strategies continues to support cities across the region to strengthen implementation and compliance.
Speakers also raised concerns about the rapid growth of alternative tobacco and nicotine products. “The government is paying close attention to the rapid growth of electronic cigarettes and other alternative tobacco products, especially among young people,” said Rano Karno, Vice Governor of Jakarta Province. “The belief that these products are safer is misleading.”
Jakarta has responded with a new smoke-free policy, adopted in December 2025 with support from Vital Strategies, prohibiting smoking and electronic cigarette use in all public places, workplaces and public transport.
Despite differences across countries, many challenges are shared across the region and globally. These include varying levels of political commitment, social inequalities, and a continued focus on short-term tobacco tax revenue over long-term health and economic costs. Misconceptions persist about economic losses from tobacco control measures, further complicating progress. Alliances like APCAT help address these barriers by fostering collaboration, sharing best practices and advancing comprehensive policies.
During the summit, Kelly Larson of Bloomberg Philanthropies reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting local leadership and advancing evidence-based policies that reduce tobacco use and save lives. Drg Murti Utami, Director General of Disease Prevention and Control, Ministry of Health, Indonesia, emphasized that strengthening the implementation of smoke-free areas is critical to breaking the cycle of access to cigarettes, particularly for children and adolescents.
The summit concluded with a declaration recognizing APCAT as a vital platform for collaboration across health and development programs and acknowledging the significant burden of preventable deaths from tobacco use, noncommunicable diseases, tuberculosis and antimicrobial resistance. Delegates committed to advancing comprehensive tobacco- and nicotine-free policies, advocating for higher taxes on unhealthy commodities, strengthening accountability in public policy and investing in tobacco control as a core prevention strategy.
Looking ahead, Dr. Bima Arya Sugiarto, Vice Minister of Home Affairs, Indonesia, called for “harmonization of public health regulations” across all levels of governance. He urged leaders to translate commitments into action, and called on the alliance to collaborate, co-create, innovate and regenerate. “We need to go beyond declarations,” he said.