CoM East Signatories join innovators at Smart City Expo 2025 in Barcelona

The signatories of the Covenant of Mayors East (CoM East) from Armenia, Moldova, and Ukraine took part in the Smart City Expo World Congress 2025 (SCEWC) in Barcelona – the world’s leading forum on urban innovation and sustainable development. The visit took place on 4–6 November with support from the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM) through its Business-to-City Matchmaking programme.

The CoM East delegation included Viorica Beregoi, Mayor of Trușeni (Moldova); Ihor Polishchuk, Mayor of Lutsk (Ukraine); Iurii Gordiichuk, Deputy Mayor of Lutsk; and Alina Yeghiazaryan, Chief Development and Partnerships Officer of the Yerevan Urban Development PIU. They were joined by Maria Falaleeva, CoM East Policy Coordinator.

Over three days, the signatories held more than thirty meetings with European technology companies, financiers, and international partners, exploring solutions in renewable energy, energy efficiency, mobility, nature-based solutions, digitalisation, and climate resilience. The meetings enabled cities to present their investment needs and identify technologies and financial models suitable for scaling municipal climate action.

A highlight of the programme was the European Commission’s session “Sustainable Urban Futures: Navigating Energy, Environment and Resilience”, where Mayor Beregoi spoke alongside representatives from Portugal and Spain. In her speech, she underlined that energy efficiency has become a matter of local security for Moldova following recent energy shocks, citing actions such as full LED modernisation of public lighting, municipal energy audits, and the development of a photovoltaic park.

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SCEWC 2025 brought together twenty-seven thousand participants, including city leaders, international organisations, and major private-sector innovators. The expo showcased emerging trends – from AI-driven urban management and smart transport to decentralised renewable energy systems and climate adaptation tools – demonstrating how data, digital technologies, and blended finance models are reshaping city climate strategies.

Yerevan’s delegation participated through the GCoM Matchmaking platform, advancing the city’s work on energy-efficient infrastructure and the development of its Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP) for 2030. The visit strengthened cooperation with European partners as the city continues to modernise transport, municipal systems and public infrastructure.

Maria Falaleeva, CoM East Policy and Institutional Relations Coordinator, noted that the event demonstrated the growing role of cities as global actors in climate and energy transitions, emphasising the need for stronger links between local authorities, technology providers, and financiers.