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The applications for Online Course of SDGs Localization are open (3-17 september)!

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The world organization United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and the Barcelona Provincial Council, ​​through the Observatory for Decentralized Cooperation and UCLG Learning, are launching an online training under the name “Localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Tools for Local Transformation”.

This online course, with the collaboration of UN-Habitat and UNDP, responds to local and regional governments’ need around the world to address the challenge of adopting the 2030 Agenda and implementing the SDGs in their territories.

In this sense, the course aims to train and provide tools for local and regional governments (LRGs) and their associations to implement and adapt the SDGs at the local level, a process known as “localizing the SDGs”.

In order to enable the participation of as many countries as possible, the course will be available in three languages: Spanish, English and French. This entails a greater diversity of visions and experiences that can only enrich the training.

This training is based on the road map developed by the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments, UNDP-Art and UN-Habitat, to assist local and regional governments in formulating national policies to create an enabling environment for action at the national, local and regional levels.

Admission criteria:

A total of 35 places are offered for each of the three language modalities (English, Spanish and French). The course carries no cost for participants since it is fully funded by the Barcelona Provincial Council and UCLG.

Any person, regardless of nationality and whose professional activity consists of managing public development policies in any country may enroll in the course. Once all applications have been received, the Evaluation Panel will review the different profiles and decide who are the 35 individuals selected for each of the three modalities. The selection process will take into account the adjustment to the target audience profile described above and it will attempt to ensure a balanced composition of the group with as many different countries as possible. All course registrants will receive an email at the end of the process informing them if they have been selected or not.

The training will take place over 3 months and will have a total duration equivalent to 63 teaching hours.

Key dates:

September 17, 2019: End of registration period
September 30, 2019: Beginning of the course
December 22, 2019: Course completion

Contact: ocd.bcn@diba.cat / learning@uclg.org

More information here.

REGISTRATION

“There is a need for local authorities to understand that architects are there to provide urban policy solutions,” Vinesh Chintaram, Secretary General of the African Union of Architects (AUA)

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At the 3rd edition of the Forum of Territorial Managers and Training Institutes targeting the Local Level in Africa (FAMI), the Secretary General of the African Union of Architects (AUA), Vinesh Chintaram, highlighted the need for greater collaboration between local authorities and architects from the continent.

See the video below (in french; also available as a transcript) recorded at the end of the FAMI, which was organized by the African Local Government Academy (ALGA) of UCLG Africa, 10 -14 June 2019, in Ifrane (Morocco).

Given that over 1.3 billion Africans will live in cities by 2050, what contribution can African architects bring to local and regional authorities that face the challenge of urbanization? 

The training of architects is not solely limited to technical support.  We can also provide many solutions for the transformation of cities ranging from city planning to urban planning codes, in order to create cohesion between the development and dynamism of cities.  It is through the integration of these parameters that we can create development that is controlled and manageable. There is a lot of talk about the management of cities. What we need to understand is that cities must also be autonomous. It is this self-management that allows cities to generate financing for their development and for the maintenance of the city, such as the physical maintenance of building infrastructures, as well as providing activities and services to the urban population.

 

How can African local and regional authorities work in concrete ways, with the continent’s architects, whether in cities or rural areas, to ensure that they have buildings that are adapted to our realities?

There are issues relating to buildings that do not necessarily reflect the context in which they are built. As an architect, we must consider that we are there to promote sustainable development that adapts to a context, a climate and a culture. We cannot do this without consultation or without the participation of the inhabitant directly concerned, which we are doing more and more now, because there is an awareness of the need for interaction with the public. This is called the participatory approach.  This really means understanding what they need, in terms of ease of use of buildings and facilities. I think there is a need for public decision-makers and local elected officials to understand that architects are there to provide solutions that can be urban policy solutions, to understand people, their expectations and transform the perception of these expectations into reality. Local and regional authorities have everything to win by integrating urban planners, architects and all those involved in spatial planning and the implementation of infrastructure projects.

 

 

 

 

 

Register to ALGA Colleges for the second part of the year 2019

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The African Local Government  Academy  (ALGA) of UCLG Africa announces the launch of 14 Colleges for the second part of the year 2019 (September – December 2019).

These colleges  cover the SDGs, local governance, participatory budget, gender equality, human resources management at local level, territorial coaching, migration, etc.

Consult the table of presentation of the different colleges here.

 

Call for contribution to the 2nd Issue of the African Local Manager’s Voice

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As part of the activities of the Local Africa Network HRnet and the Observatory of Local Human Resources in Africa of UCLG Africa, a call for contribution for the second issue of the “African Local Manager’s Voice”,  is open.

The first issue of the bulletin focused on “The main functions of Human Resources Management at the African Local level: sharing of experience”. 

The theme of this second issue is : “Creating a conducive and attractive environment for the development of the human resources at Local Level in Africa: sharing best practices”.  

 

WHO CAN CONTRIBUTE?                                    *

The newsletter is mainly open to contributions from African Territorial Managers regardless of their field of activity or professional field. However, in a spirit of openness to the environment of African Territorial Communities and Benchmarking, any other contribution having an added value.

Contributions are expected before 10 October 2019.

More details here. 

Extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa: Morocco chosen as Africa’s candidate for the presidency of UCLG World

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Libreville, the capital of Gabon, hosted an extraordinary meeting of UCLG Africa’s Executive Committee on 26 July 2019.  The meeting, convened on the initiative of the President of UCLG Africa, Mr. Léandre Nzue, Mayor of Libreville, was officially opened by the Prime Minister of Gabon: His Excellency Mr Julien Nkoghe Bekalé.

The sole purpose of the Executive Committee meeting (Extraordinary) was the Designation of candidates of Africa for the Presidency of the United Cities and Local Governments – World within the framework of the World Congress that will be held from 11 to 15 November 2019 in Durban, South Africa

For the nomination of the candidate for the position of UCLG World President, the members of the Executive Committee present used a vote to choose between the Moroccan candidature put forward by the Association of Presidents of Moroccan Communal Councils (AMPCC) and the South African candidature put forward by the National Association of South African Local Authorities (SALGA).  At the end of the vote, the Moroccan candidate obtained a majority of votes.

Thus, the President of the AMPCC, Mr. Mohamed Boudra will be Africa’s candidate for the position of UCLG World President.

Concerning the nomination of Africa’s candidate for the post of UCLG Vice-President for Africa, the only candidate in the running was the Association of Municipalities of Burkina Faso (AMBF), represented by its President, Mr. Armand Béouindé.

Elections for the renewal bodies of UCLG are scheduled from 11 to 15 November 2019 in Durban, South Africa during the World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders.

The President of UCLG Africa, Mr. Léandre Nzue, invited all members to mobilise and support Morocco’s candidacy for the position of President of the world organization UCLG.

In Durban, Africa’s mission will be to repeat the achievement of 2016 in Bogota (Colombia), where it was first taken to the head of the world organization through its candidate Park Tau, then president of the National Association of Local Authorities of South Africa (SALGA).

 

The presentation of the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa is available here. 

 

 

 

 

Register to the UCLG Africa/ALGA College on Gender Equality

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The African  Local Governments Academy (ALGA) of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) will launch  his college on: “Gender Equality, women’s and girls’ empowerment to meet the SDG5 and the African Vision on Women’s Rights”, from 09 to 13 December 2019 in the Kingdom of Morocco, City of Rabat.

 

THE MAIN OBJECTIVE

The International Seminar will be an opportunity  for participants to be informed on the progress made in the implementation of global and continental commitments on gender equality, and to raise awareness among them on concepts, issues, challenges, actions and good practices in the empowerment of women and girls in order to achieve the SDG 5 and the African vision on women’s rights. It will be also an opportunity to share the UCLG-Africa commitment for Gender equality and for the empowerment of women and girls.

 

TARGET PUBLIC

The International Seminar targets:  – Mayors, Presidents of Local Governments and Councilors, local decision makers and those in charge of Local Governments; – Female managers in Public institutions; – NGO Leaders, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and other key Civil Society actors; – Heads of institutions involved in providing advisory support to local authorities.

Read more here: Concept Note.

Below the registration form to be completed and returned to the following e-mail addresses: lramilijaona@uclga.org; pdabire@uclga.org with cc to najat_zarrouk@yahoo.fr.

Registration form. 

 

The REFELA among the delegation of mayors of the world, received in audience by the Secretary General of the United Nations, at the High Level Policy Forum on Sustainable Development

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The High-level Political Forum is the United Nations body responsible for global review of progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The main theme of the 2019 Forum, held from 09-18 July at United Nations Headquarters in New York, was “Empowering People and Ensuring Inclusion and Equality”.  It was discussed how to empower people and ensure inclusion and equality, while assessing overall progress in achieving the SDGs, with special attention to SDGs  8, 10, 13, 16 and 17.

It is in this context that the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. António Guterres, received in audience, a delegation of mayors of the world, which represented several networks, members of the Global Taskforce, including UCLG and the Network of Locally Elected Women in Africa (REFELA) of UCLG Africa. This delegation was led by the President of the world organization of UCLG, Mr Parks Tau with the participation of the President of REFELA, Mrs. Macoura Coulibaly Dao, Mayor of the commune of Foumbolo-Côte d’Ivoire, and of other mayors from Africa and other continents.

During this hearing, the Secretary General of the United Nations mentioned, among other things, the importance of the role of local authorities in localizing the 17 SDGs of the International Agenda, to “Empower people and ensure Inclusion and Equality”, as discussed in this High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development of key actors to be considered for the implementation of the global development goals. The delegation received by the Secretary General of the UN was made up of elected officials.The challenge for the mayors present at this hearing and for the President of REFELA was to convince the UN Secretary General to give speaking time to UCLG, UCLG Africa, UCLG Africa’s Global task Force on Climate,  and REFELA, at the United Nations General Assembly to draw attention   be given to local authorities.

 

.Intervention of local elected officials :

The GLOBAL Taskforce could be a credible interlocutor. It is about moving governance mechanisms, by asking natioonal governments  to consider the place of local authorities alongside them. The challenge is to unite forces and means of action to face challenges such as ecological emergencies, gender equality, poverty alleviation, educational development, the rebalancing of public policies, and global actions that today make people vulnerable.

Local authorities are at the forefront of meeting these challenges. They must have the means to act: recognizing their role and giving them a place in global governance would be an important step.

 

On behalf of REFELA, President Macoura Dao was able to send a strong message to the UN Secretary-General: “REFELA joins the various messages delivered by the representatives of networks of elected officials,  and draws attention to the importance of the proximity of African women local elected representatives, to achieve the global goals. In addition, people should count on women mayors and female local elected representatives of Africa, grouped within REFELA, and on  their determination to act for the implementation of SDGs 4, 5, 11 and 15. Women mayors and female elected officials propose to carry out three campaigns, (i) the campaign of African cities without street children; (ii) the campaign of African cities with zero tolerance for violence against women and girls; and (iii) the campaign of African cities for women’s economic empowerment; convinced that, if implemented, these campaigns would help make the cities and territories of Africa sustainable communities, where inhabitants – bothe male and female- would feel concretely the improvement of their living conditions. This is only possible with the improvement of the economic, social and political inclusion of women and the support of the international community “.

“Answer of the U.N. Secretary General: “You preach to a convinced, my wife is still a local elected official in Italy and I myself had  local mandates … I understand the importance of the actions of local authorities and the specificity of their roles in the implementation of the SDGs. But this is a forum of national governments  and I am not the only one to decide. It is obvious that some national governments are against putting local authorities in the limelight, but I support you … You must convince each of your natiopnal governments to take you in the official delegation … I congratulate REFELA: I know that women need support, and I will support you … ” »

UCLG Congress | Durban 2019 – Registration is now open!

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YOU CAN REGISTER NOW! 
 

We look forward to welcoming you to the World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders, our triennial UCLG Congress, which will be held from 11 to 15 November in eThekwini-Durban, South Africa.

REGISTER HERE

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION FEE UNTIL 23rd SEPTEMBER 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Mr. Léandre Nzue, New President of UCLG Africa , Mrs. Macoura Dao, New President of REFELA

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The statutory meetings of UCLG Africa in Cairo held from 17 to 21 June 2019 were marked by the installation of the new President of UCLG Africa namely Mr. Léandre Nzue, Mayor of Libreville (Gabon) and the election of Mrs Macoura Dao, as President of the Network of Locally Elected Women and Territorial Leaders of Africa (REFELA).

At the opening of the 20th session of the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa on 18 June, the members received the profession of faith from Mr. Léandre Nzue, who, in his capacity as newly elected Mayor of Libreville, was installed as the new President of UCLG Africa for the period 2019 to 2021, and therefore chaired this 20th session of the Executive Committee.

During his installation, the President of UCLG Africa undertook to encourage unity and dialogue, facilitate public and private investment, foster the integration of associations of local authorities for a better management of African cities by 2021.

On June 17, the first meeting of the Bureau of the Network of Locally Elected Women and Territorial Leaders of Africa (REFELA) was held. In accordance with REFELA’s Internal Regulations, Mrs. Dao Macoura, Mayor of Foumbolo in Côte d’Ivoire, Vice President of REFELA for the West African Region, was elected President of REFELA for the period 2019-2021, replacing Mrs. Célestine Ketcha-Courtes who became a member of the Government in Cameroon.

In her speech, Mrs. Dao recalled that REFELA’s leitmotif is  to promote greater participation of women in the governance of local authorities and a better integration of women’s concerns into the policies pursued in our cities and territories;

The final press release of the statutory meetings is available here.

The final press release of the REFELA meeting is available here.

The composition of the UCLG Africa presidency is available here.