Municipal partnerships between Ukraine and other European local governments are key drivers of recovery and resilience, reform and EU integration, mutual learning and long-term cooperation.
Through the Bridges of Trust (BoT) Community, we share good examples and success stories of municipal partnerships with Ukraine. And we are keen to discover more!
That is why the European Partnership Hub Secretariat, together with the Bridges of Trust Community, and supported by the EU and its member states through U-LEAD with Europe, initiated the Bridges of Trust Partnerships Award.
The award aims to recognise the efforts and commitment of all stakeholders involved in municipal partnerships with Ukraine to make it more visible at the national and European levels. Five municipal partnerships will be rewarded as Bridges of Trust Ambassadors 2026! Showcasing the geographical outreach and diversity of municipal cooperation in terms of topics, approaches and stakeholders involved.
BoT Partnerships Award 2026 is open for municipal partnerships of Ukrainian municipalities and their partners in the following countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, and Sweden.
Municipalities of all sizes can apply.
Municipal partners should apply jointly by downloading and filling in the application form below. Share your story with us!
How to apply? (Application documents below)
Fill in jointly the form to tell us about your municipal partnerships by responding to six questions.
Add the signed declaration of the two municipalities involved in the partnership.
Pre-selection by BoT Community Actors: Each partner will nominate up to three municipal partnerships based on the quality, visibility and innovation of their cooperation approaches.
CEMR reinforces its role as Europe’s Hub for Municipal Cooperation with Ukraine
A week-long mission to Kyiv, carried out by CEMR Secretary General Fabrizio Rossi and Director of Projects and Programmes Durmish Guri, has reaffirmed CEMR as a facilitating structure of the European Partnership Hub (EPH), for international municipal cooperation in support of Ukraine’s recovery, resilience, and European integration.
Although CEMR’s engagement with Ukraine stands since 2002, this visit took place within a strategically significant framework, which is the European Partnership Hub (EPH), supported by the EU and its member states through U-LEAD with Europe programme. The EPH, developed jointly with the Bridges of Trust Community actors, is designed to scale up, structure, and coordinate international municipal partnerships between European and Ukrainian municipalities.
With hundreds of bilateral and multilateral cooperation initiatives already underway and demand for further support growing, the EPH Secretariat (EPHS) provides the coherent, European-level coordination needed to align actors and eliminate duplication. This approach better serves needs on the ground and directly answers the call to action from the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin, which urged the creation of a dedicated one-stop shop.
Main takeaways from the visit to Ukraine
Federating the national associations of local and regional governments.
Exchanging with key local leaders: Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv and Pikula, Deputy Mayor of MariupolCity Council
A meeting with the Mayor of Kyiv and Chair of the AUC, Vitaliy Klitschko, provided an opportunity to review more than twenty years of cooperation and to discuss the practical solidarity that Ukrainian cities need from their European counterparts. Mayor Klitschko expressed particular appreciation for CEMR’s annual declarations and its sustained international advocacy for mayors in captivity.
The meeting with the Deputy Mayor of Mariupol City Council, and also CEMR Spokesperson on EU Enlargement, Olha Pikula, covered the need for a clear CEMR position on Ukraine in the context of the next Multiannual Financial Framework, ensuring that Ukraine’s specific circumstances are fully reflected in both policy and funding approaches.
Dialoguing with Ukrainian ministries and the EU delegation in Ukraine
Meetings with the EU Delegation to Ukraine, including the Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, Stefan Schleuning and with the Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories, Oleksii Riabykin, produced a consistent political signal: Ukraine’s recovery and accession will only succeed if local and regional governments are systematically involved. Particular attention was given to Chapter 22 on Cohesion Policy, where municipalities and regions are central delivery actors, and to the urgent need for clarity on how local governments can access the Pillar III of the Ukraine Facility.
Coordinating with the Bridges of Trust Community actors working in Ukraine
A meeting with Expertise France, a key actor within the Bridges of Trust Community, illustrated the breadth of the EPHS coordination role. Discussions focused on the preparation of the Ukraine Recovery Conference and the need for a more coordinated approach to international municipal cooperation within the EU framework. The mission was also an opportunity to work alongside the U-LEAD with Europe team in Ukraine, who co-organised and supported the visit throughout the week.
What is International Municipal Cooperation, and why does it matter now in Ukraine?
International municipal cooperation refers to structured partnerships between local and regional governments across borders, enabling peer learning, institutional strengthening, capacity building, and democratic resilience. In normal times, these partnerships help municipalities share expertise and improve public services.
In Ukraine’s current context, they carry an additional and urgent purpose: they are instruments of resilience, reconstruction, and EU integration, built from the ground up.
While Ukraine’s EU accession path is negotiated at the European and national level, it is mostly implemented and made credible at the local level. Municipalities and regions are responsible for delivering essential services under wartime conditions, for rebuilding infrastructure, for supporting internally displaced persons, and for implementing the administrative and governance reforms that EU membership requires. Their full involvement in the accession process is indispensable.
The need for a coordinated approach
The meetings confirmed that the European Partnership Hub is increasingly recognised as a strategic priority. The EU Delegation in Ukraine expressed strong support for developing the Hub further as a reference of expertise on international municipal cooperation with Ukraine, covering EU policy, decentralisation, local governance, and capacity building.
The political context makes this ambition both timely and necessary. Ukraine’s recovery will only be credible, effective, and sustainable if it is co-shaped with local governments and partners. CEMR, as host of the European Partnership Hub Secretariat, together with the Bridges of Trust Community actors, are positioned to ensure that it is.
Four years ago, uncertainty dominated every conversation. As Mayor Klitschko recalled, no one believed this war would last this long. Today, the war continues, but Ukrainians translate everyday fear and uncertainty into resilience, determination, and preparedness. I, as everyone, was amazed by how Local communities have adapted and stood firm, and to see the great value of international solidarity.
Preliminary findings of ODELL point to rising violence against local politicians across Europe
Early results presented at the European Observatory for the Defence of Democracy at the Local Level (ODELL) webinar on 21 May 2026 indicate that violence and intimidation against local elected representatives is increasing across Europe, with attacks frequently directed at politicians’ homes and other property and a growing concern about the under‑recorded scale of online abuse. The discussion brought together policymakers, researchers and local politicians, combining emerging evidence from Bocconi University with testimony from elected representatives and institutional actors working on democratic resilience and safety in political life.
A visible phenomenon, but only the “peak of the iceberg”
The dataset currently being assembled for the first ODELL annual report draws on local news and national report archives to capture documented incidents such as assaults, threats and arson attacks against local politicians. Explaining the approach, Gianmarco Daniele, Executive Director of the CLEAN Unit at Bocconi University and Associate Professor at the University of Milan, warned that the numbers are robust for severe incidents but cannot systematically include online abuse: “This is the peak of the iceberg as violence includes other types of attacks, like online attacks” but those are usually underreported.
More than 1,000 attacks — and rising
Daniele said the data shown so far is “based on more than 1,000 violent attacks in Europe in the last six years,” stressing that this is not only a European issue but a global one. In the European sample presented, Italy records the highest number of incidents, followed by France, with Germany, Greece and Ukraine also appearing among the countries with high totals. He also described an increase over time, including a rise in 2023 that was “mostly driven by France”.
Property attacks dominate
The patterns presented suggest that intimidation often reaches politicians through their personal environments. “The most common type of attacks is against the private property of politicians, typically arson attacks against the house or the car,” Daniele said. “The second type is attacks against government property and assaults against politicians” comes next.
For Filiz Ceritoğlu Sengel, Mayor of Selçuk and CEMR Spokesperson on Local Democracy, this reflects a structural vulnerability at the closest tier of governance: “Local elected representatives are the closest democratic link to citizens. They are accessible, visible and accountable, but this makes them increasingly vulnerable.”
Women face significantly higher risks
While gender information is often missing from incident descriptions, Daniele highlighted evidence from a separate Italian study: “Women mayors are three times more likely to be attacked than men, and this is especially true right after they are elected.”
The effect on political participation was echoed by Flo Clucas, Member of Cheltenham Borough Council and Chair of CEMR’s Standing Committee on Equality, who linked intimidation – particularly online, to decisions about whether to continue in office: “That is where democracy begins and that is where, if we are not careful, democracy will end.” She added: “So many local politicians are no longer standing: some 56% in the UK might not stand again.”
Election periods increase risks – depending on institutional strength
Another trend discussed was electoral timing. Daniele explained that early analysis suggests attacks are more likely “right before and right after elections,” but the pattern depends on context: “There is a strong correlation, but this is conditional on the strength of democracy in the country.”
Online abuse amplifies the threat
Several speakers underlined that online harassment is widespread yet remains poorly captured by systematic reporting. Daniele noted that for online attacks, “a very small share is reported to the police.” Clucas described how everyday digital exposure can be weaponised: it gives those who want to intimidate councillors “a method with no mechanism for us to find out who they are.” She drew a line between democratic debate and harassment: “There are times when freedom of speech is not freedom of speech but intimidation… it’s threatening… it’s bullying.”
From the Council of Europe perspective, Bryony Rudkin,Deputy‑Leader of Ipswich Borough Council and Co‑Rapporteur of the Congress of the Council of Europe’s resolution ‘Tackling violence against local and regional elected representatives’, warned that online hate speech reflects a broader climate: “People hide behind the anonymity of a keyboard and say whatever comes into their head.”
Improving data and policy responses
Participants stressed that solutions depend on evidence, even when it is hard to gather. Fabrizio Rossi, Secretary General of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), argued that the difficulty is precisely why the initiative matters: “The gathering of data is challenging. But this is why ODELL exists. We are being innovative.” He added that the goal is to “provide evidence” and “start collecting data and intelligence to shape the right solutions.”
From the European Commission, Daniel Fleischer‑Ambrus, (Team Leader for Democracy at DG JUST in the European Commission, said: “Safety in politics is a key priority for us,” pointing to the European Democracy Shieldand the European Commission’s current work on practical tools. He highlighted that guidance, checklists and toolkits should “emerge before the end of this year.”
A direct impact on democracy
Sharon Pia Hickey, Programme Officer, Constitutional Governance and Rule of Law, International IDEA, placed the problem within broader democratic trends, thanking ODELL for “bringing to light the scale and the severity and the typology and the nuance” of what elected officials face. She described violence against elected officials as “a key manifestation of democratic backsliding, especially at the local level.”
Sengel also warned of the democratic consequences when intimidation pushes people out of public life: “When elected representatives are pressured into silence, discouraged from standing for office, or forced to withdraw, the functions of local democracy are weakened.”
A collective responsibility
Closing the event, Eider Inuntziaga, Councillor of the City of Bilbao and CEMR Spokesperson on Local Democracy, said the session had helped clarify “the scale and the patterns” behind the issue and build a shared space for solutions. She framed political safety as a condition for participation: “Local democracy only works if people feel safe to defend democracy and to raise their voices because otherwise no one will ever dare to make any opinion or any decision public.”
Inuntziaga added that intimidation has consequences well beyond the individual: “All those issues shape the way we do our work; they take away energy from where it should be focused and affect the quality of our decisions and the quality of democracy.” She added the first annual report will present the project’s first-year results in Bilbao on 2 October 2026.
The Observatory is a partnership between the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), the Municipality of Bilbao, and the Association of Basque Municipalities (EUDEL), with the scientific partnership of Bocconi University, and with the support of the Basque Government. It works to raise awareness of this growing challenge by generating reliable data and evidence, sharing best practices in good governance, promoting coordinated institutional action, and fostering collaboration among local and regional elected representatives.
Across Europe, local elected representatives are facing growing pressure, harassment and disinformation at a time when communities need trusted leadership more than ever. In a new article published in Burgemeester (pages 158, 159 and 160), the magazine of the Dutch Association of Mayors, dedicated to local governance, democratic resilience and public leadership. In the article, CEMR presents the work of the Observatory for the Defence of Local Democracy at the Local Level (ODELL), a European initiative created to monitor threats against local democracy, support mayors and councillors, and strengthen public trust through clearer communication, evidence-based advocacy and practical tools for municipalities.
Webinar Defending Local Democracy Together
On 21 May 2026, from 14h to 15h15, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and partners of the Observatory for the Defence of Local Democracy in Europe will host an online webinar exploring the growing threats faced by local and regional elected representatives across Europe.
The discussion will bring together local leaders, experts and European partners to explore the growing challenges facing democracy at the local level, from harassment and intimidation to disinformation and declining public trust, while sharing practical solutions and experiences from across Europe.
On 21 May 2026, from 14h to 15h15, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and partners of the Observatory for the Defence of Local Democracy in Europe will host an online webinar exploring the growing threats faced by local and regional elected representatives across Europe.
Launched in December 2025 by CEMR, the Municipality of Bilbao and the Association of Basque Municipalities (EUDEL), in partnership with Bocconi University and with the support of the Basque Government, the Observatory aims to monitor, analyse and respond to the increasing pressures affecting local democracy across Europe.
The webinar will present the preliminary findings of the Observatory’s upcoming European report examining patterns of intimidation, harassment, violence and attacks targeting local and regional politicians. The discussion comes at a time when democratic institutions across Europe are facing growing polarisation, disinformation, and declining trust in public authorities.
Local elected representatives are often on the frontline of these challenges. As the level of government closest to citizens, municipalities and regions play a crucial role in safeguarding democratic participation, social cohesion and public trust.
“Threats to local politics affect integrity, how we speak, and can silence people. It can make elected representatives afraid — or push them to leave public life,” said Eider Inuntziaga, city councillor of Bilbao and CEMR spokesperson on local democracy.
The event will bring together local elected representatives, researchers, international organisations and European institutions to discuss how to strengthen democratic resilience at the local level and better protect those serving in public office.
Speakers include Filiz Ceritoğlu Sengel, who will open the webinar, as well as academics and experts working on democratic governance and political violence. Representatives from the European Commission and the Council of Europe Congress will also contribute to the discussion.
The webinar will also examine threats occurring during electoral processes and explore possible policy responses to violence and intimidation targeting local elected officials.
A new chapter for local democracy in the Western Balkans: launch of the LORAI programme
April 1st marked an important milestone for local democracy and European integration in the Western Balkans, as CEMR joined the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, the European Commission, NALAS, and local government associations from across the region to officially launch LORAI – the Local Observatory on Reform Agendas Implementation.
The high‑level ceremony took place on the margins of the Congress’s 50th Session, bringing together European institutions, municipal leaders, experts and national associations to celebrate the beginning of a partnership designed to strengthen the role of local authorities in one of the most decisive phases of the region’s EU accession process.
A new observatory with a clear mission
LORAI is not just a new project. It is a new architecture of collaboration.
The programme, jointly established by the European Union and the Council of Europe, will support local authorities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to take a more active role in shaping, implementing, and monitoring their countries’ Reform Agendas under the EU’s Reform and Growth Facility.
For years, local and regional governments (LRGs) have been responsible for delivering essential services, infrastructure, and community support – yet they have been only marginally involved in monitoring the reforms that directly affect them. LORAI is designed to close that gap.
It aims to:
Empower municipalities to take part in designing, monitoring and evaluating reforms
Strengthen policy dialogue between all levels of government
Build local capacity to identify investment priorities for the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034
Increase transparency and accountability through an open‑access dashboard tracking reform progress on the ground
Boost peer learning through regional exchanges, workshops, and reviews
These collective efforts will enable reforms to become not only national commitments, but tangible improvements in citizens’ daily lives.
A strong partnership to drive real results
LORAI will be implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, in partnership with:
NALAS – Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe
CEMR – Council of European Municipalities and Regions
Local government associations from each beneficiary country
This partnership brings unparalleled reach, expertise and legitimacy. Each organisation plays a vital role in ensuring reforms are not abstract commitments but concrete transformations at the local level.
Opening the launch event, Congress President Gunn Marit Helgesen highlighted the stakes:
“With its unparalleled convening power among local and regional authorities, this partnership will deliver real benefits for the citizens of the Western Balkans. Real change happens when local governments are active shapers of reform; we must enable their meaningful participation in the reform process.”
Representing the European Commission, Valentina Superti, Director for the Western Balkans at DG ENEST, added:
“For citizens, progress must be visible and tangible. LORAI plays a key role in empowering local authorities to turn reform commitments into concrete results. Today marks the beginning of a fruitful collaboration.”
CEMR Vice‑President Mélanie Lepoultier emphasised the importance of linking reforms to investment readiness:
“Our mission at CEMR is to transform local experiences into actionable policy. Through LORAI, we will support local officials to convert reforms into investment roadmaps aligned with the next Multiannual Financial Framework and foster meaningful peer‑to‑peer exchanges.”
NALAS President Dubravko Bilić stressed the Observatory’s long‑term value:
“Sustainable progress requires tracking implementation where it matters most—at the local level. LORAI will ensure reforms deliver measurable and lasting results for citizens.”
Why LORAI matters
Reform Agendas represent some of the most strategic commitments Western Balkan governments have made on their path towards EU accession. Yet reforms can only succeed when local governments, those closest to the citizens, are active contributors, not bystanders.
LORAI is important because it brings:
1. Accountability, where reforms are felt the most
The open-access dashboard will provide communities, governments, and partners with transparent data on how reforms are progressing locally.
2. Stronger multilevel governance
The programme strengthens collaboration between national and local authorities, ensuring reforms are implemented realistically and sustainably.
3. Investment-ready local priorities
LRGs will be better equipped to shape priorities for future EU funding, especially in the next MFF (2028–2034).
4. A regional ecosystem of learning
Peer exchanges, workshops, and reviews will allow governments from Western Balkan countries to learn from each other, share solutions, and amplify impact.
For CEMR, this programme is fully aligned with our mission:
To ensure that Europe’s local and regional governments are empowered, heard, and equipped to shape the future of their communities.
Looking ahead
With a dedicated budget of €2,222,222 for its first two years and a duration running from March 2026 to February 2028 (with the possibility of extension), LORAI is set to become a cornerstone for stronger governance, better reforms, and deeper European integration in the Western Balkans countries.
The country profiles offer a short overview of national models of (decentralised) development cooperation frameworks in selected EU Member States. The aim is to provide insights into specific mechanisms and modalities of analysed national frameworks and identify enabling factors as well as challenges related to practical implementation, focusing on the role and opportunities for local and regional governments and their associations.
Based on the study, the Belgian framework for Decentralised Development Cooperation (DDC) is characterised by:
1) Municipal associations are central to DDC in Belgium. Brulocalis, Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities (VVSG), and the Union of Cities and Municipalities of Wallonia (UVCW) act as key intermediaries in coordinating funded programmes and serving as the primary source of support and guidance for municipalities.
2) Focus on long-term cooperation with selected partners. Sustained partnerships help to ensure the effectiveness and added value of cooperation. There is a prioritisation of the least developed countries and fragile contexts.
3) Awareness-raising of Belgian citizens about international solidarity. Belgian actors, in partnership with NGOs, actively contribute to informing citizens about development cooperation-related topics through awareness-raising and education activities at home.
This article is part of a series of 7 Country Profiles examining DDC frameworks across Europe. The fifth edition, focusing on France, will be published in July. Stay tuned!
Read the Country Profile of Belgium, available in four languages:
You can find the rest of Mindcraft’s publications here.
CEMR encourages Belgian authorities to strengthen the role of Local and Regional Governments in development policy, not only as implementers, but also as strategic partners helping shape a more resilient, inclusive and effective development agenda.
This publication is produced within the Bridging and Mapping Knowledge Gaps in Decentralised Cooperation (Mindcraft), funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
Local leaders’ climate academy: co‑creating justice‑centred climate action
On 25 and 26 March, CEMR, together with UCLG and PLATFORMA, hosted the Local Leaders’ Climate Academy, an online training and exchange space for local and regional leaders committed to advancing climate action rooted in justice, equality, and participation.
Held under the title “Co‑Creating Climate Action: Justice‑Centred Leadership for Local and Regional Governments”, the Academy brought together elected officials, practitioners, youth representatives, and experts to explore how local governments can translate climate commitments into inclusive, locally grounded action.
Putting justice at the centre of climate leadership
Opening the Academy, Fabrizio Rossi, Secretary General of CEMR, underlined the need for local leaders to move beyond fragmented climate responses and instead co‑create solutions that address climate change alongside social and gender inequalities.
On the second day, Pablo Fernández, Assistant Secretary‑General for Partnerships at UCLG, presented UCLG’s global learning strategy, emphasising city diplomacy and co‑creation as key tools for implementation. He stressed that inclusive capacity‑building — particularly involving youth and women — is central to accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, including the ongoing review of SDG 11.
Learning from local practice
Throughout the two days, the Academy showcased concrete examples of justice‑centred climate action led by cities and territories:
In Catalonia, municipalities are collaborating on collective renewable energy purchasing to reduce emissions and costs.
Dublin shared its work on systemic climate finance approaches to address organisational barriers to investment.
Athens presented the co‑creation of its Climate Contract, including a Youth Climate Assembly and support for 30 youth‑led projects.
International partnerships were highlighted, such as the long‑standing cooperation between Cologne (Germany) and Indigenous communities in Yarinacocha (Peru), and the Bio Plateau project promoting community‑based water management in the Guyana Shield.
Youth voices and global perspectives
The Academy was shaped by keynote interventions from Marcele Oliveira, Youth Climate Champion for COP30, and Mark M. Akrofi, Research Fellow at AISESA. Their contributions stressed the importance of engaging vulnerable communities, addressing environmental racism, and integrating intergenerational justice into local climate planning.
Their reflections echo broader debates on climate justice, including those shared in the PLATFORMA interview “Climate justice starts where people live”, which explores why locally rooted approaches are essential to fair and effective climate action.
Climate adaptation and multi-level cooperation: the Climate Chance session
On 26 March 2026, a dedicated session organised by Climate Chance brought climate adaptation to the centre of the discussions, highlighting the growing impact of floods, droughts, heatwaves and wildfires across European territories, and the need to act now.
Opening the session, Ronan Dantec, President of Climate Chance and CEMR spokesperson on climate, stressed that tackling climate risks requires collective effort: “Climate change affects Europe with floods, droughts, heatwaves, and wildfires impacting communities and economies. Building resilience requires collaboration between governments, businesses, insurers, investors, and civil society.”
The exchange focused on the challenges ahead for climate adaptation and on how multi‑level governance, cross‑sector cooperation, and improved financing and risk‑sharing mechanisms can strengthen resilience. The session also contributed reflections to the forthcoming EU Integrated Framework on Climate Adaptation, expected in late 2026, and featured expert input from Dr. Christiana Photiadou of the European Environment Agency.
Want to know more?
Do you want to know more about our Local Leaders’ Climate Academy?
CEMR is currently looking for a professional interpretation provider for English-Ukrainian
CEMR seeks a professional interpretation provider for English-Ukrainian simultaneous interpretation. The assignment is linked to our project, Bridges of Trust, which will organise several online training sessions, information sessions, and related events.
The selected contractor will work in close and continuous coordination with CEMR’s Administrative and Finance team, who will oversee the development and delivery of all outputs covered by this call for proposals.
Celebrating a decade of driving local climate action in sub-Saharan Africa
The Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA) is the “regional covenant” of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM). It is a bottom-up and voluntary initiative that invites cities to define and meet ambitious and realistic energy and climate targets.
Launched in 2015 and funded by the European Commission, CoM SSA was initially led by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, in partnership with African and European city networks, national associations of local governments, and civil society organisations.
To mark this decade, the new publication A Decade of Implementation, produced by GIZ in the framework of CoM SSA, brings together reflections from cities, institutional partners, donors and long-standing experts. Combining strategic perspectives with concrete city examples, it documents how more than 400 local governments, representing over 166 million people, have moved from climate planning to implementation and investment. The publication highlights key milestones and results achieved over the past ten years, including the development of the Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plans (SEACAP), support for project preparation for cities, and an increasing focus on implementation, investment and impact.
Over the past decade, CoM SSA has shown that local climate and energy actions can only be effective and sustainable when it is anchored in political ownership and supported by strong associations of local governments and city networks. By empowering mayors and local leaders, and by facilitating peer exchange and collective representation, the initiative has enabled cities to move from commitments to concrete action.
The publication includes a contribution from CEMR, authored by the Director of Projects and Programmes, Durmish Guri, reflecting on the role of national associations of local and regional goverments and networks in anchoring the Covenant politically and ensuring its sustainability, a message that remains highly relevant as reflections on the future of the Covenant of Mayors continue, including in Europe.
“We therefore call upon funders, governments and partners to continue investing in CoM SSA. Anchored in local realities and supported by diverse partnerships, it stands as a cornerstone of climate resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
Durmish Guri, Director of Projects & Programmes, Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR)
We would like to thank our partners — Climate Alliance, Energy Cities, Environment Development Action in the Third World (ENDA), French Agency for Environment and Energy Management (ADEME), ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (World Secretariat and Africa), International Association of French Mayors (AIMF), Portuguese Energy Agency (ADENE), Sustainable Energy for Africa, and United Cities and Local Governments Africa (UCLG Africa) — for their invaluable collaboration and commitment.
