Africa is expected to be hit by some of the worst effects of climate change. But what can African cities do to fight, and if necessary adapt to, this challenge? Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi and Mr. Frédéric Vallier , the secretaries general of UCLG Africa and CEMR respectively, discuss this and more in an interview with Pan African Visions.
Dr. Mohamed Boudra, Mayor of Al Hoceima (Morocco), candidate from Africa, was elected President of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) at the organization’s World Congress held on 15 November, 2019 in Durban, South Africa. The result of the first round was: Dr. Boudra, first with 100 votes; followed by Mr. Ilsur Metshin, Mayor of Kazan in Russia with 66 votes, and in third place Mr. Fernando Medina, Mayor of Lisbon, Portugal, with 55 votes. This made Mr. Boudra and Mr. Meltshin qualified for the second round scheduled for 15 November, 2019, during which each candidate was required to submit a ticket including 5 co-chairs, chosen from the 8 candidates selected for this position and two treasurers, chosen from the 4 candidates selected for this position.
The second round, which was due to be held on 15 November, 2019, was cancelled as the two candidates agreed to form a consensual presidential team in which all UCLG sections are represented, including the vice-presidents appointed by section. The new President of UCLG introduced the team with which he intends to lead the global organization during his three-year term (2019-2022). This team is composed as follows:
Presidency :
– Dr. Mohamed BOUDRA, President of UCLG;
– Ilsur METSHIN, President of the United Nations Advisory Committee on Local and Regional Authorities, UNACLA, Member of the UCLG Presidency.
Co-Presidents :
– Araya Johnny Monge Mayor of San Jose, Costa Rica (ASPAC Section) ;
– Igur Ibrahim Althay, Mayor of Konya, Turkey (Middle East and West Asia Section)
– Jan Van Zanen, Mayor of Utrecht, The Netherlands (Europe Section)
– Li Mingyang, Mayor of Xi’An, China (Asia Pacific Section)
– Thembisile Nkadimeng, Mayor of Polokwane, South Africa (Africa Section)
Ex-officio Co-President :
– Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, France, President of the Standing Committee on Gender Equality of UCLG
Treasurers :
– Alfelor Madelaine Yorobe, Mayor of Iriga, Philippines (Asia Pacific Section)
– Berry Vbranovic, Mayor of Kitchener, Canada (North America Chapter)
Vice-Presidents by section:
Mohamed Boudra of Morocco succeeds South African Parks Tau, who served as UCLG President from 2016 to 2019. With the election of Mohamed Boudra, Africa is entering its second consecutive term as President of UCLG for the period 2019-2022.
After installing of the new presidential team, Mr. Boudra congratulated his predecessor and the entire outgoing presidential team for the work they had done for the organization. In regard to the outgoing President, Mr. Parks Tau, he said : “We have not lost a President, because you will continue to be our President, but we have won a minister who will defend local and regional authorities. Thank you to South Africa for this congress, which I can call the Congress of the Union. The union of all UCLG sections“.
In his inaugural speech as President of UCLG, Mr Mohamed Boudra stated:
”
Thank you to my peers for their confidence and for allowing me to be elected President of UCLG. The debates and exchanges were fascinating and full of lessons. I solemnly undertake to complete my commitments to raise our organization to the highest level. We have come here together with the concern to safeguard and strengthen the unity and strengthening of our world organization and we have succeeded.”
Local Africa rejoices
African delegates expressed their satisfaction at seeing the continent retain the leadership of the world organization.
“It is a total satisfaction, all the more so as the bid has been in progress since the Executive Committee meeting in Cairo in June before continuing in Libreville in July 2019. The choice of Africa’s candidate was made according to a very democratic process and everyone was behind Mohamed Boudra because we thought he was the best candidate for Africa. Today the result is there. Mr. Boudra is elected President of UCLG World. It is Africa that is honored, it is Gabon that is honored,” said Léandre Nzué, President of UCLG Africa.
“Africa remains at the helm of the global organization. Now we must remain dedicated and committed to further developing our world organization. The world is watching us and we need to propose viable solutions and we are ready for that,” added Ms Thembisile Nkadimeng, elected Co-President of UCLG.
“I am pleased to see that the world’s local elected representatives have kept the values of our organization. The values of making an election without rupture, an election without fracture. We are also pleased to maintain this second term as an African and to ensure that our global institution remains a strong one,” continued Armand Béouindé, Mayor of Ouagadougou, elected UCLG Vice-President for Africa.
Watch more reactions of African delegates .
The next UCLG World Congress will be held in 2022 in the city of Daejeon in South Korea.
Read the Durban Political Declaration here.
For more information, please contact:
Gaëlle Yomi: Phone: +212 610 56 71 45
Email: gyomi@uclga.org
Visit our website: www.uclga.org
Download the Press release Here.
View the photo albums of the congress
#UCLGCongress #Durban2019 :Notre Journée du 12 novembre en images
#UCLGCongress #Durban2019 :Notre Journée du 13 novembre en images
#UCLGCongress #Durban2019 :Le REFELA en Action le 14 novembre
#UCLGCongress #Durban2019 : Notre journée du 14 novembre
#UCLGCongress #Durban2019 : Notre journée du 15 novembre
Durban2019- Réunion club fondateur Agence Afrique Territoriale (11 novembre 2019)
Durban 2019: Session -Façonner des villes résilientes (11 novembre 2019)
Durban 2019- Session des jeunes élus locaux africains (11 novembre 2019)
Comité de pilotage LEDNA (10 novembre 2019)
Réunions statutaires CGLU Afrique -Durban 2019 (9 novembre 2019)
In view of the increasing situations in which the integrity of local government and its representatives are undermined around the world and in which the fulfilment of the duties of local and regional governments is becoming increasingly difficult and continuously challenged:
We call on national governments all over the world and the international community to pay particular attention to the protection of the rights of local and regional elected officials and leaders of local and regional governments in the performance of their duties, and to ensure that contexts of fragility do not undermine local democracy.
Local and regional governments gathered in Durban at the UCLG Congress acknowledge and pay tribute to their colleagues and former members of the UCLG Governing Bodies Iván Arciénaga, former mayor of Sucre and former Vice President of UCLG for Latin America; and Paola Pabón, Prefect of Pichincha, and further acknowledge and join the motion of support from our colleagues of UCLG-Africa to Adama Sangare, Mayor of the District of Bamako.
Participants at the UCLG World Congress held in Durban from 11 to 15 November 2019, noted that in recent years the countries around Sahel, particularly Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, but also other cities and communities around the world have suffered terrorist attacks resulting in many casualties.
Local and regional authorities often pay the highest price for these attacks, as evidenced by the recent murder of the Mayor of Djibo in Burkina Faso and three of his companions.
UCLG members strongly condemn these attacks and killings.
They express their sincere condolences to the families, town councils, cities and populations affected.
They call on the community of Local Authorities and leaders of local and regional governments to demonstrate their active solidarity with the governments concerned and their national associations.
They call on the international community to be more responsive in providing the necessary assistance to victims, but also to collaborate with local and regional authorities and the State to deal with the risk of terrorism and eradicate this scourge.
Done at Durban, 13 November 2019
Participants at the sixth UCLG World Congress
Consult UCLG Africa’s Solidarity Message to the Sahel Mayors
In recent years, the countries of the Sahel region, particularly Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, have been subject to terrorist attacks resulting in thousands of civilians and military casualties.
Local authorities are paying the highest price, the most recent being the assassination of the mayor of Djibo in Burkina Faso and three others who were with him.
In these circumstances, we, members of the Pan African Council of the United Cities Local Governments of Africa,
meeting in Durban on Saturday 9th November 2019:
– Strongly condemn these attacks and killings,
– Support local authorities and their populations,
– Call on the international community to more responsiveness in providing the necessary support and
assistance.
Done in Durban, on 9th November 2019
For the Pan African Council
Léandre Nzué
President, UCLG Africa
Download the message here.
We, Mayors and Local Authorities Leaders, members of the Pan African Council of UCLG Africa meeting in Durban, South Africa, on Saturday 9th November 2019:
We have heard with dismay of the detention of Mr Adama Sangare, Mayor of the District of Bamako, member of the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa;
Done in Durban, on 9th November 2019
For the Pan African Council
Léandre Nzué
President, UCLG Africa
Download the motion here.
UCLG Africa will hold the 22nd session of its Executive Committee on November 09, 2019 (9:00) at the Onomo Hotel in Durban, South Africa. The meeting will be held as a prelude to the UCLG World Congress that will take place from November 11-15, 2019 in the city of Durban. The session will adopt the 2020 budget of UCLG Africa and discuss African participation in the UCLG World Congress.
We recall that Africa is contesting for the position of UCLG president for the 2019-2022 term. The candidate who represent Africa for this position is Dr. Mohamed Boudra, Mayor of Al Hoceima, Morocco, President of the Moroccan Association of Local Governments (AMPCC) and Vice president of UCLG Africa for North Africa Region.
The following leaders of UCLG Africa be participating in this meeting:
– Mr. Léandre Nzué, Mayor of Libreville (Gabon), President of UCLG Africa.
– Rev. Mpho Moruakgomo, President of BALA (Botswana), Vice-President of UCLG Africa for the Southern Africa Region;
– Mr. Mohammed Boudra, President of AMPCC (Morocco), Vice-President of UCLG Africa for the North Africa Region;
– Mrs. Soham El Wardini, Mayor of Dakar (Senegal), Vice-President of UCLG Africa for the West Africa Region;
— Mr. Uwimana Innocent, President of RALGA (Rwanda), Vice-President of UCLG Africa for the East Africa Region;
– Mrs. Dao Macoura, Mayor of Foumbolo (Côte d’Ivoire), President of REFELA (Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa);
– Ms. Thembisile Nkadimeng, President of SALGA (South Africa);
– Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG Africa.
Following the morning meeting of the Executive Committee, UCLG Africa’s Pan-African Council meeting will be held at the same venue from 3pm. Participants in the Pan-African Council meeting will focus on the activities of the UCLG Congress and the organization of the Africities 2021 Summit in Kisumu, Kenya.
As a reminder, UCLG Africa’s Executive Committee is the body in charge of the political leadership of the organization. The Executive Committee is comprised of 16 members, 15 members equally representing each of the 5 regions of the continent, (3 for each of the 5 regions), plus the President of the Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA). UCLG Africa’s Pan-African Council is made up of forty-five (45) active members, nine (9) for each African sub-region.
For more information, please contact:
Gaëlle Yomi: Phone: + 212 610 56 71 45
Email: gyomi@uclga.org
Visit our website : www.uclga.org
Are you elected locally in a municipality, province, region or county? Are you 35 years old or younger? Know that you represent the future of local Africa.
Joint the UCLG World Congress of Local and Regional Leaders from 11 to 15 November 2019 in Durban, South Africa, where a meeting of young African local and regional elected representatives is scheduled for 11 November 2019 from 16h30 to 18h00. This meeting will allow the establishment of the African network of young elected officials.
Please send your CV with a photo and a cover letter to the UCLG Africa General Secretariat to the following e-mail address Lnzamba@uclga.org ; Secretariat@uclga.org
For more information on the World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders, visit the website: www.durban2019.uclg.org