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Local government leaders renew their partnerships with the EU to boost international development

The presidents of the five largest associations of local and regional governments met yesterday (September 12, 2022) in Brussels with Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, to renew their partnership with the European Union on international development.

The five local government leaders present were:

• Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris (France), President of the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF)
• Stefano Bonaccini, President of the Emilia-Romagna Region (Italy) and President of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) & PLATFORMA
• Innocent Uwimana, President of the Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities (RALGA) and Board member of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF)
• Jan van Zanen, Mayor of The Hague (Netherlands), Chair of the Board of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)
• Fatimetou Abdel Malick, President of the Regional Council of Nouakchott (Mauritania), President of United Cities and Local Governments – Africa (UCLG-A)

The five presidents signed new framework partnership agreements with the European Union for a period of four years. These agreements notably include financial support to local and regional government associations in designing policies aimed at promoting sustainable development at the international level, with a budget of €50 million under the NDICI-Global Europe financial program.

The agreements also strengthen the associations’ role in coordinating the voices of all development partners at the local level. Beyond aid to associations, development efforts by local governments will also be supported “on the ground” with €500 million, Commissioner Urpilainen said. These funds directly help cities and regions to tackle global challenges such as climate change, rising energy prices, gender equality, and democracy at the local level.

“We believe decentralised cooperation is essential to keep communication channels open and mutually enrich our practices,” said CEMR President Stefano Bonaccini. “The European Union can count on us to implement reforms that contribute to the democratisation of our territories and the revitalisation of our economies.”

The five associations “are committed to strengthening local governments in Europe and in third countries,” notably to implement the Sustainable Development Goals aimed at “making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, and revitalising the global partnership for sustainable development.”

The first framework partnership agreements between these five associations and the European Union were signed seven years ago.

The presidents were accompanied by their associations’ respective secretaries-general and met other senior EU officials, including Koen Doens, Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA).

See all the photos from the event
Watch the video recording of the ceremony
Watch the interview with the Presidents of the local government associations

TONHAUSER Boris

Director – PLATFORMA

Youngest Mayor of Portugal: “Young people should be seen as change leaders”

It is essential to better involve young people in politics and decision-making, according to João Fortes, the mayor of the Portuguese city of Mourão and the youngest mayor of Portugal, during the Africities Summit organised by UCLG Africa in Kisumu (Kenya).

The Summit, which took place from 16 to 20 May, gathered local governments and communities, civil society organisations, and development actors from across Africa, as well as many international players. The participants discussed the high stakes involved in the implementation of the UN’s 2030 Agenda. A day dedicated to youth issues highlighted the crucial role that the next generations play in the development of their territories.

Speaking on behalf of PLATFORMA and CEMR’s Committee of Young European Elected Representatives, João Fortes took part in different sessions dealing with sustainable development and challenges faced by young people.

The young elected mayor presented some of the policies being implemented at the European and local levels to move towards a more inclusive and sustainable social model. According to him, young people must be considered “change leaders” in this process.

João Fortes participated in three Africities sessions:

• A meeting of the partners of the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA) on the issues related to sustainable development and climate change
• The General Assembly of the Network of Young Elected Local Officials of Africa (YELO)
• A “youth day”, notably dealing with urban policies aiming to better integrate young people

What role for young people in Africa and Europe’s mid-sized cities?

Whereas 2022 is the European Year of Youth, a Eurobarometer survey has found that a large segment of young Europeans consider that they are not sufficiently listened to by public authorities.

Young people face an increased risk of poverty, notably in the post-pandemic context, and there are reasons to fear the disengagement of young citizens from political life. To answer this, João Fortes stressed the need “to provide the conditions for young people to be genuinely involved in decision-making.”

The mayor of Mourão also highlighted several projects being undertaken in his municipality and in Portugal. Indeed, Portuguese youth are also being affected by the consequences of the health crisis and a difficult economic situation.

Mourão is taking numerous initiatives in these areas with the creation of a Local Assembly of Young People, a participatory budget, technical support for youth organisations, strengthened children’s access to medical and dental care, and the development of youth exchanges and volunteering opportunities.

The Summit was also an opportunity to bring together PLATFORMA and CEMR’s Committee of Young European Elected Representatives and YELO members. These two networks of African and European local leaders could soon undertake actions in cooperation to put into perspective the issues encountered in the development of their territories.

Check on Twitter with #Africities9

TONHAUSER Boris

Director – PLATFORMA