1st Focus Group of the Observatory of Human Resources of Local Government in Africa on the theme: «Human Resources Management (HRM) within African Local Governments: Challenges, Reforms and Best Practices »

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On the sidelines of the UCLG Africa West Africa Strategic Meeting, the Observatory of Human Resources of Local Government in Africa organized its 1st Focus Group on “HRM at local level in Africa: Challenges, Reforms and Best Practices”, at the Tang Palace Hotel in Accra, Ghana, on Wednesday May 30th, 2018.

The Focus Group brought together over sixty participants from eight (8) countries of the region (Capo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Ghana, Gambia, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone) representing the different actors and stakeholders concerned by the issue of Human Resource Management at the territorial level: national associations of local authorities; representatives of national governments; networks of local government professionals and managers as well as the unions of the territorial managers; representatives of training institutes targeting local government, including anchoring institutes of the African Academy of Local Governments (ALGA); experts; executives of the General Secretariat and the UCLG Africa Regional Office for West Africa; and representatives of development partners.

The main objective of the workshop was to meet with the different actors and stakeholders in human resource management at the local level and through discussion and brainstorming, to discuss roles, responsibilities and challenges faced, share good practices and identify possible reforms to improve and professionalize the HRM of African local government.

Strong Messages during the Official Opening of the Focus Group

Dr. Nana Ato Arthur, Head of Local Government Service of Ghana (LGS)

Honorable Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, President of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG)

Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG Africa

The official opening of the workshop was marked by strong messages from the Honorable President of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG); the Secretary General of UCLG Africa; and the Representative of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development of Ghana, who were unanimous in stressing the urgency of investing in the human capital of local government, professionalizing HRM at local level and promoting participatory and inclusive governance at this level. It is indeed thanks to qualified, motivated, competent and committed human resources that Africa will champion the case for decentralization, local governance and local development.

The various interventions highlighted the primordial role of human resources and a good HRM strategy for the Decentralization Project and the need to surround local governance with the conditions for success, according to the growing roles and responsibilities required within African local government. This is not only necessary for the realization of their policies and strategies, but also for supporting the implementation of the African Union Vision 2063 and World Agendas (Sustainable Development Goals, New Urban Agenda, Climate Agenda.)

The various interventions also highlighted the main challenges faced by the HRM of local government in Africa amongst which was: the absence of will and political commitment in favor of HRM; the lack of strong public policies and proactive strategies for the modernization of HRM at local level; the poor grasp of the various functions of HRM in general; problems of recruitment, assignment, status and mobility; the poor qualifications of staff in local governments; the predominance of State, central administrations, private sector and international organizations on the labor market; the lack of material and financial means to attract and maintain talent; the absence or insufficiency of resources to develop skills at local level; and the lack of coordination and synergy between different actors involved in local HRM in Africa, etc.

The Focus Group was also an opportunity for the participants to exchange best practices, in particular with reference to:

– Local Government Services of Ghana, which has developed procedures and tools to plan, monitor and evaluate the performance of human resources of the “District Assemblies” and put in place strategies for the standardization of HRM at the level of local governments in Ghana.

– The National Union of Local Government Employees of Nigeria (NULGE), which has demonstrated, despite all the difficulties, powerful lobbying that effectively defends the interests of human resources at local level in Nigeria.

All the information gathered during the Focus Group and the discussions will contribute to the report on the “State of human resources in local governments in Africa”, whose publication is scheduled to be launched during the Africities 8 Summit November 20-24, 2018. The next focus groups will be held in Morocco and Burkina Faso.

UCLG Africa Regional Strategic Meeting: West Africa Commits to Mobilizing for Massive Participation in the Upcoming Africities Summit in Marrakesh, Morocco, November 20-24, 2018

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The United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) held its regional strategic meeting for West Africa at the Tang Palace Hotel in Accra, Ghana, May 28-29, 2018. The meeting was organized in collaboration with the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG).

This gathering was the fourth UCLG Africa strategic meeting. Previous strategic meetings were held in Nairobi, Kenya, April 10-11, 2018 for the East Africa region; Libreville, Gabon, April 16-17 for the Central Africa region; and Walvis-Bay, Namibia, May 7-8 for the Southern Africa region.

All fifteen countries in the West Africa region participated in the meeting: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.  Delegates included presidents from the national associations of local governments, leaders from the Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA) and permanent secretaries of the national associations of local governments.

The meeting was officially opened by the Honourable Hajia Alima Maham, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ghana, in the presence of the Honourable Ishmael Ashitey, Regional Minister of Greater Accra; Honourable Nii Felix Anang, Mayor of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly and President of NALAG; and Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG Africa. Other participants included key stakeholders from local governments in Ghana such as Dr Frederic Varenne, the Representative of the European Union Delegation in Ghana; Executive Secretary from the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralization, Ing. Salifu Mahama; the head of the Local Government Service Secretariat, Dr. Nana Ato Arthur; the Coordinator of the Ghana Urban Management Project, Mr. Aloysius Bongwa; the Director of the Ghana Urban Institute, Prosper Dzansi; and the President of the Ghana Association for Public Administration and Management, Dr. Gifty Oforiwa Gyamera. 

The Honourable Hajia Alima Mahama expressed her pleasure that the Accra meeting was scheduled to discuss the progress of decentralization in the West Africa Region and would strategize on ways to enhance the effective implementation of decentralization policies and good governance in local government as well as address the emerging challenges encountered in the day to day management of communities. She then declared the meeting officially open.

Proceedings were chaired by the Honourable Nii Felix Anang, President of NALAG and moderated by Mr Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG Africa. 

At the opening session, members were presented with the main agendas that local and regional authorities of Africa would discuss. These included Agenda 2063 of the African Union; the African charter on democracy and elections; the African charter on the values and principles of public service; the African charter on the values and principles of decentralization, local governance and local development; the African Union protocol on women’s equality; and the creation of the high council of local authorities as a consultative body of the African Union.

– At the Africa level, participants were called upon to consider the urgency of having their respective countries sign and ratify the African charter on the values and principles of decentralization, local governance and local development. Since its adoption by the heads of state and government of the African Union in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea in 2014, the charter has been signed by 13 countries but ratified by only 3 countries (Madagascar, Burundi and Namibia) with none from West Africa. The Charter will become a legal instrument of the African Union when it is signed and ratified by 15 countries and filed with the African Union Commission. Participants resolved to set up a special committee that will visit the different countries of the region to speed up the signing and ratification of the charter. 

– At the global level consideration was given to the Addis Ababa Action Agenda; the Sendai Protocol on disaster management; the 2030 Agenda on sustainable development goals; the Paris agreement on climate change and the New Urban Agenda.

It was advised that local and regional governments should intervene on these agendas to localize the goals and objectives; plan the way forward for their implementation; and to conduct a process of measuring, reporting and verifying what they were doing regarding their implementation.

Participants were then introduced to the New Urban Agenda adopted by the UN in Quito in October 2016, taking into consideration the fact that like other regions of the world, Africa is urbanizing at a rapid pace and that its urban population would be 1.2 billion people within 30 years. Decision makers were challenged to change their attitudes and to accept urbanization as a fact and address the issues of urban growth in Africa, which would translate into the growth of slums and informal settlements. It would be essential that employment was addressed and that jobs were provided for the 300 million young people who would enter the labour market in the ensuing years, given the fact that the majority of city dwellers are young people under 20 years old, hence the insistence that local and regional government leaders take bold steps now. The time has come for local authorities to take the lead in managing the urban challenge.

Dr Alioune Badiane, former Director of the Programme Division of UN-HABITAT emphasized the need for:

– Advocating for the advancement of decentralization and the setting up of an enabling environment for local and regional governments actions and initiatives.

– Reforming the legislative framework of urbanization with a special focus on land regulation to boost land supply and to contribute to the densification of the urban fabric

– City planning involving all urban dwellers, including informal settlement urban dwellers 

– Radically revitalizing the financing mechanisms of local and regional governments with new arrangements for enhanced mobilization of resources, access to loans and the financial market and innovative partnerships, including that with the private sector; the 3Ps (Public Private Partnership or Public People Partnership); or 4Ps (Public, Private, People Partnership).

The meeting then reviewed the status of UCLG Africa’s membership in West Africa. Membership declarations were expected from UCLG Africa in the region, but of the 15 members only 8 had complied. 7 were yet to complete the survey and promised to send the required information to the West Africa Regional Office of UCLG Africa.
 
This was followed by a session in which participants exchanged information on the state of decentralization in the West Africa Region and the need to lobby national governments to ‘walk the talk’ by effectively implementing the transfer of financial and human resources to local governments; enhance the representation of women in local government; and to recognize the role of local authorities in the fight against climate change and corruption, pointing out the need for capacity building of local authorities and citizen participation in local governance. In West Africa, women were still under represented in local government and the financial transfer of resources was still low. On the issue of gender, Senegal had the made the most progress with regards to total parity. Local government budgets represented on average, between 3 -7% of the national government budgets across the region.
 
During the second day of the meeting, participants were informed about UCLG Africa’s programs and network. Among the highlights were: the African Cities Development Fund whose launch is expected to take place at the coming Africities Summit in Marrakesh, Morocco; the UCLG Africa Climate Task Force that was launched during COP 23 in November 2017 in Bonn, Germany; and the launch of the African Local Government Academy, ALGA.

ALGA, which is intended to boost the capacities, professionalism and ethical behaviour of local and regional government administrations across the continent, offers an Executive Masters course for senior staff of African local governments and a series of specialized courses delivered through the ALGA colleges. ALGA’s courses, as well as its Executive Masters, are delivered by its anchor institutions across Africa; with two based in Ghana. ALGA has also concluded a series of agreements to form part of the most important networks of training and research institutions in the world. It provides training and capacity building courses for all of UCLG Africa’s networks. These include: the Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA); the network of City Managers (Africa MAGNET); the network of City Chief Finance Officers (Africa FINET); the network of City Chief Technical Officers (Africa TECHNET) and the network of Human Resource Managers of African Local and Regional Governments (Local Africa HR-Net).

Also discussed was the setting up of a local authority transparency and integrity index.  To achieve this, municipalities were invited to create a website to disseminate key information to its citizens. Participants also received information on UCLG Africa’s Pan Africa Peer Review.
   
Participants were informed about the launch of three main campaigns from the three-year action plan of REFELA  (2018-2020) namely: African Cities without Street Children; African Cities Zero Tolerance to Violence Against Women; and African Cities Promoting Women’s Leadership and Economic Empowerment. Participants committed to support these campaigns across the region and promised to encourage as many cities as possible to subscribe.  
This was followed by a presentation of the 8th edition of the Africities Summit to be held in Marrakesh, Morocco, from November 20-24, 2018 on the theme, ‘The transition to sustainable cities and territories: The role of local and regional governments of Africa’: This theme was proposed by leaders from local Africa to address the implementation of Agenda 2063 and Agenda 2030 at city and territorial level.

Over 5,000 people are expected to participate in the Africities Summit. Online registration for the conference is now open on the Africities website, www.africites.org and for the Africities Exhibition at www.salonafricites2018.com. Members from West Africa were encouraged to start the mobilization for the summit. They were also informed that the general assembly of UCLG Africa will take place on November 23, 2018 as part of the summit and that each region should start caucusing in order to designate its candidates to a seat on UCLG Africa bodies. Candidatures will be received by the UCLG Africa secretariat on November 22, 2018, by 17:00 hours.

Africities: The most important democratic gathering in Africa.
https://www.africities.org/
Africities is the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa’s flagship pan-African event that is held every three years in one of the five regions of Africa.

The meeting discussed the issue of UCLG Africa’s relationship with the European Union. In 2013, the EU adopted a communication, which for the first time recognized local authorities as fully-fledged public authorities. Following this recognition, the European Union has entered into a framework partnership agreement with international and continental associations of local governments, including UCLG Africa. Participants were informed that, in accordance with the provisions of the 2013 EU Communication on Local Authorities, national associations can be considered as having a monopoly position in their respective countries and as such, can access EU cooperation funds allocated to local authorities without going through a call for proposals, provided they present and discuss with the EU delegation an implementation program agreed with the members of the said national association.

Participants were also informed of the negotiations on the post-Cotonou Agreement that will govern the cooperation relationship between the African Union and the European Union for the next 20 years, starting in September 2018. They were asked to advocate for their respective countries to back the position of the African Union and that negotiations take place between the European Union and the African Union and not between the European Union and the ACP countries, which results in splitting Africa, with Sub-Saharan Africa separated from the African countries bordering the Mediterranean, which are included in the European neighbouring countries cooperation.

The last UCLG Africa regional strategic meeting for the North Africa Region will take place in Rabat (Morocco), June 18-19, 2018. 

For further information, please contact:

Gaëlle Yomi: Tel: +212 610 56 71 45

Email: gyomi@uclga.org

Em Ekong: Tel: +44 7801 701 675
Email: eekong@uclga.org

UCLG AFRICA REGIONAL STRATEGIC MEETING IN ACCRA (GHANA)

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The regional strategic meeting of the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) for the Western Africa Region will be held at the Tang Palace Hotel in Accra, Ghana, on May 28th and 29th, 2018. The meeting is organized by UCLG Africa, the Pan African representative and the voice of local governments on the continent in collaboration with the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG).

Accra, will host the fourth meeting of a series of UCLG Africa strategic meetings that will take place across the five regions of Africa (North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, Eastern Africa, Southern Africa). The third first meetings were held in Nairobi, Kenya from 10 to 11 April 2018 for the East Africa region, in Libreville, Gabon from 16 to 17 April 2018 for Central Africa region and in Walvis Bay, Namibia from 7th to 8th May for Southern Africa region. As the representative voice of local authorities on the continent, UCLG Africa aims to:

  1. Take stock of the state of decentralization in the different regions and address the priorities of the decentralization agenda in the regions
  2. Deliberate on the priority actions required to support local governments to become reliable partners for national governments; the regional economic communities; other development partners and stakeholders.

The meetings will address specific issues such as:

  • Updating the UCLG Africa members in the region on the Global and African Agendas and the involvement of local governments in their implementation, especially the African Union Agenda 2063, the New Urban Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Climate Change Agenda, and The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction;
  • The status of the signature and ratification of the African Charter on the Values and Principles of Decentralization, Local Governance and Local Development in the different countries of West Africa
  • The participation of the UCLG Africa members in Western Africa in the preparation and implementation of the Africities 2018 Summit, the flagship event of UCLG Africa, which will be held from November 20 – 24, 2018 in Marrakesh (Kingdom of Morocco), around the theme: “The transition towards sustainable cities and territories: The role of African local governments.”
  • The preparation and participation of the members of the Western Africa Region in the Elective General Assembly of UCLG Africa to be held on 23 November in the framework of the Africities Summit.

The official opening of the meeting will be chaired by Honourable Hajia Alima Maham, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Ghana, in the presence of:

  • Hon. Nii Felix Anang, President of NALAG and Mayor of Tema Metropolitan Assembly
  • Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG Africa.

The meeting will be attended by the presidents of the national associations of local governments, leaders of the Network of Locally Elected Women (REFELA) and the permanent secretaries of national associations of local governments. Other participants in the meeting will include experts on decentralization, urbanization and climate change.

The national and international media based in Accra are invited to cover the opening ceremony this Monday, May 28, 2018 at 09:00 am at the Tang Palace Hotel in Accra, Ghana and the closing press briefing on Tuesday, May 29 at the same venue at 04:15 pm.

The last UCLG Africa regional strategic meetings will take place in Rabat (Morocco) on 18 -19 June 2018, for the North Africa Region.

 

For further information, please contact:

Gaëlle Yomi: Tel: + 212 610 56 71 45
Email: GYomi@UCLGa.org

Em Ekong: Tel: + 44 7801 701 675

Email: eekong@uclga.org

Local Authorities Are Resolute to Start the Transition to Sustainable Cities in Marrakesh

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United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) and the Moroccan Association of Presidents of Municipal Councils (AMPCC) launched the 8th edition of the Africities Summit on May 15, 2018, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Rabat, Morocco. The Summit will take place from November 20-24, 2018 in Marrakesh, Morocco, under the theme: “The transition to sustainable cities and territories: The role of local and regional governments in Africa.”

Local and regional authorities from over 20 African countries participated in the ceremony, including presidents of associations of local and regional governments in Africa, mayors and governors of metropolitan cities in Africa and members of the Network of African Locally Elected Women (REFELA).

The ceremony was attended by the Chair of the African Union Technical Committee for Public Service, Urban Development, Decentralization and Local Government (STC 8); the Minister of Decentralization and Local Governance of Benin; the Minister of Local Governments of Lesotho and Member of the Bureau of STC 8; members of the diplomatic corps accredited in Morocco; representatives of the Moroccan Parliament; and the Secretary General of the International Association of Major Metropolises (Metropolis).

Participants heard speeches from the representative of the Interior Minister of Morocco, Mr. Khalid Safir, “Wali” (Head Governor) Director General of Local Governments; His Excellency Mr. Barnabé Zinsou DASSIGLI, Minister of Decentralization and Local Governance of the Republic of Benin and President of the African Union STC 8; His Excellency Mr. Mouhamadou Youssifou, Ambassador of Cameroon and Vice Dean of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to Morocco; Mrs. Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda, Mayor of Libreville and UCLG’s Vice-President for Africa; and Mr. Mohammed Boudra, President of the AMPCC association (Morocco).

In his opening speech, Mr. Khalid Safir reaffirmed the importance of the Kingdom of Morocco hosting the 8th edition of the Africities Summit.

“I would like to express to you all the joy and pride of the Kingdom of Morocco in welcoming the eighth edition of this summit in its territory. The theme will lead participants to discuss the future of cities, territories and local governments in Africa and Africa’s challenges in the face of globalization and urbanization and this theme will lead the participants to highlight the changes underway and the role and strategy of African local governments in the transition.”

The president of the STC 8 committee of the African Union, Mr. Barnabé Zinsou Dassigli, declared that the Africities Summit was considered by the ministers members of the STC 8 committee as one of the best opportunities offered to Africa to speak with one voice on the issue of decentralization and that this was the surest way to involve people in the management of affairs that concerned them.

“Over the course of its successive editions, the Africities Summit has proven to be a great platform for the exchange of views for the implementation of decentralization policies in Africa. It is for this reason that the African Ministers of Decentralization have decided to establish Africities as the African space for the evaluation of the impact of decentralization policies and corresponding cooperation programs for the improvement of living conditions for citizens and the good governance of our states in general. This is why STC 8 wants to include the issue of the signing and ratification of the African Charter on the Values and Principles of Decentralization, Local Governance and Local development on the agenda of the Africities Summit 2018.”

The mayor of Libreville and Africa Vice President of UCLG, Mrs. Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda, said she was convinced that Marrakesh 2018 would mark a milestone in the path towards the structural transformation of Africa advocated by Agenda 2063 of the AU. “I invite all municipalities around the world, especially those in Africa, to come and share with us the thinking that we are going to begin on

the “transition to sustainable and resilient cities and territories.”

The President of the Moroccan Association of Presidents of Municipal Councils (AMPCC), Mr. Mohamed Boudra, stated that, “the Africities 2018 Summit will be an opportunity to exchange ideas and opinions, enrich experience and support African cooperation in the field of local management.”

requirements for participation and taking part in the Africities Exhibition, which is organized in parallel. Participants were invited to register online at the following sites:

The highlight of the ceremony was the handover of the baton to the city of Marrakesh, now host of the Africities 2018 Summit, and receiving the Africities flag from Mr. Mpho NAWA, representative of the President of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and host of the 7th edition of the Africities Summit held in 2015 in Johannesburg.

The Mayor of Marrakesh, Mr. Mohamed Larbi Belcaid, was delighted to accept the torch and launched a call for the massive participation of the different actors in this great event in the ‘ochre city’ considered to be the beating heart of Africa in motion.

Following the baton handover Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG Africa, presented the framework and program of the Summit, as well as the

For the Summit: www.africities.org

For the Exhibition: www.salonafricites2018.org

Nearly 5,000 participants are expected at the conference and 500 exhibitors are expected at Africities.

For more information, please contact:

Gaëlle Yomi: Phone + 212 610 56 71 45

e-mail:   gyomi@uclga.org

PRESS RELEASE: OFFICIAL LAUNCHING CEREMONY OF PREPARATION FOR THE AFRICITIES 2018 SUMMIT

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The official ceremony to launch the preparation for the 8th edition of the Africities Summit, November 20-24, 2018, Marrakesh, Morocco will take place on Tuesday, May 15, 2018, 3:00- 5:30 pm at the Balafrej Hall, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Rabat, Morocco. The theme of the Summit will be: “The transition to sustainable cities and territories: The role of African local governments.“

The ceremony will be organized by the Moroccan Association of Presidents of Municipal Councils, (AMPCC), and the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa, (UCLG Africa).

The following dignitaries will take part in the ceremony:

– His Excellency Mr. Abdelouafi Laftit, Minister of the Interior of the Kingdom of Morocco;

– His Excellency M. Barnabé Zinsou Dassigli, Minister of Decentralization and Local Governance of the Republic of Benin, President of the STC8 Commission of the African Union;

– Mr. Mpho Parks Tau, President of the World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and Vice-President of UCLG Africa for the Southern Africa Region;

– Mr. Mohammed Boudra, President of AMPCC;

– Mr. Mohamed Larbi Belcaid, Mayor of Marrakesh, host city of the Africities 8 summit;

– Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG Africa.

The ceremony will also see the participation of other distinguished guests, including: African ministers who are members of the African Union’s Specialized Technical Committee for the Public Service, Urban Development, Decentralization and Local Government (STC 8); the presidents of the associations of local and territorial authorities of Africa; the mayors and governors of the metropolitan cities of Africa; the members of the Pan-African Council of UCLG Africa; the members of the Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA); the Secretary General of the International Association of Major Metropolises (Metropolis); representatives of the diplomatic corps; international organizations present in Morocco; as well as representatives of parliament and civil society organizations and the private sector.

The ceremony will take place in the Balafrej Hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Morocco.

Presentation of Africities 8 Summit

For more information, please contact:

Gaëlle Yomi: Phone +212 610 56 71 45

E-mail: gyomi@uclga.org

18th Session of the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa in Rabat, on May 14, 2018

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The Executive Committee of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) meets on May 14, 2018 in Rabat (Morocco), with the support of the Moroccan Association of Presidents of Municipal Councils(AMPCC).

This 18th session of the Executive Committee is held the day before the official ceremony for the launch of the organization of the Africities 8 summit (Marrakech, 20-24 November 2018). This ceremony is scheduled to take place in Rabat, Morocco, on May 15, 2018 from 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm at the Balafrej Hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Morocco.

The official opening ceremony of the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa will take place at 2:00 pm at the Hotel “La Tour Hassan” in the presence of:

– Mr Mohamed Sadiki, Mayor of Rabat

– Mr. Mohammed Boudra, President of AMPCC

– Mr. Mpho Parks Tau, President of the World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and Vice President of UCLG Africa for the Southern Africa Region;

– Mrs. Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda , Mayor of Libreville, UCLG Vice- President for Africa;

– Mr. Cheikh Ahmed Baya, Vice President of UCLG Africa for the North Africa Region;

– Mr. Christian Roger Okemba, Mayor of Brazzaville (Congo), Vice President of UCLG Africa for the Central Africa Region;

– Mrs. Célestine Ketcha Courtès, President of the Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa ( REFELA ) ;

– Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG Africa.

The Executive Committee will, among other things, approve the accounts of UCLG Africa for the 2017 financial year and review the progress of preparations for the eighth edition of the Africities Summit to be held in Marrakesh, on November 20-24, 2018 under the theme of “Transition to Sustainable Cities and Territories: The Role of African Local Governments. “

On the sidelines of the meeting of the Executive Committee will also be held the meetings of the Executive Board of the Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA) and of the World Association of the Major Metropolises (Metropolis).

The national and international press are invited to cover the opening ceremony on Monday 14th May at 2:00 pm at the hotel “La Tour Hassan” in Rabat (Morocco).

As a reminder, the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa is the body responsible for the political leadership of UCLG Africa between sessions of the General Assembly of the organization. The Executive Committee comprises 16 members, 15 members representing equally each of the 5 regions of the continent (3 for each of the 5 regions), plus the Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA).

 

For more information, please contact:

Gaëlle Yomi: Tel: + 212 610 56 71 45
e-mail: gyomi@uclga.org

UCLG AFRICA Regional Strategic Meeting in Walvis–Bay

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The regional strategic meeting of the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) for the Southern Africa region will be held at the Sea Side Hotel in Walvis -Bay, Namibia, on May 7th and 8th, 2018. The meeting is organized by UCLG Africa, the Pan African representative and the voice of local governments on the continent in collaboration with the Association of Local Authorities in Namibia (ALAN).

Walvis Bay, will host the third meeting of a series of UCLG Africa strategic meetings that will take place across the five regions of Africa (North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, Eastern Africa, Southern Africa). The two first meetings were held in Nairobi, Kenya from 10 to 11 April 2018 for the East Africa region and in Libreville, Gabon form 16 to 17 April 2018 for Central Africa region . As the representative voice of local authorities on the continent, UCLG Africa aims to:

1. Take stock of the state of decentralization in the different regions and address the priorities of the decentralization agenda in the regions

2. Deliberate on the priority actions required to support local governments to become reliable partners for national governments; the regional economic communities; other development partners and stakeholders.

The meetings will address specific issues such as:

• Updating the UCLG Africa members in the region on the Global and African Agendas and the involvement of local governments in their implementation, especially the African Union Agenda 2063, the New Urban Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Climate Change Agenda, and The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction;

• The status of the signature and ratification of the African Charter on the Values and Principles of Decentralization, Local Governance and Local Development in the different countries of Southern Africa region.

• The participation of the UCLG Africa members in Southern Africa in the preparation and implementation of the Africities 2018 Summit, the flagship event of UCLG Africa, which will be held from November 20 – 24, 2018 in Marrakesh (Kingdom of Morocco), around the theme: “The transition towards sustainable cities and territories: The role of African local governments.”

• The preparation and participation of the members of the Southern Africa region in the Elective General Assembly of UCLG Africa to be held on 23 November in the framework of the Africities Summit.

The official opening of the meeting will be chaired by Hon. Dr Peya MUSHELENGA, Minister of Urban and Rural Development, in the presence of:

• Mr. Mr Parks Tau – President UCLG –World & UCLG Africa Vice President, Southern Africa region,

• Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG Africa.

The meeting will be attended by the presidents of the national associations of local governments, leaders of the Network of Locally Elected Women (REFELA) and the permanent secretaries of national associations of local governments. Other participants in the meeting will include experts on decentralization, urbanization and climate change.

The national and international media based in Namibia are invited to cover the opening ceremony this Monday, May 07th , 2018 at 09:00 am at the Sea Side Hotel in Walvis -Bay, Namibia and the closing press briefing on Tuesday, May 08th at the same venue at 04:30 pm.

The upcoming UCLG Africa regional strategic meetings will take place respectively in Accra (Ghana) on 28 – 29, May 2018, for the West Africa Region; and Rabat (Morocco) on 18 -19 June 2018, for the North Africa Region.

For further information, please contact:

Em Ekong: Tel : +
Email: Eekong@uclga.org
Gaëlle Yomi: Tel: + 212 610 56 71 45
Email: GYomi@UCLGa.org

2nd Edition of the African Forum of Territorial Managers and Training Institutes targeting Territorial Governments in Africa : Message of Thanks Addressed to his Majesty the King Mohammed VI

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We, the participants of the second African Forum of Territorial Managers and Training Institutes targeting Territorial Governments, organized from 25 to 26 April 2018 in the city of Saidia, on the initiative of the African Local Government Academy (ALGA) of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) and with the support of the Oriental Region, representing Ministers, Presidents of Associations of Territorial Authorities, Mayors and Local Elected Officials, Presidents and Directors of Training Institutes, Professionals of Territorial Governments, civil society and private sector organizations as well as the general public,

* Welcoming the undeniable efforts of the Kingdom of Morocco for the building of African Unity, the promotion of

the Values of Peace and Solidarity, the support of South-South Cooperation and regional integration;

* Appreciating the efforts of the Kingdom of Morocco in favor of Decentralization and Territorial and Local Development, through the implementation of Advanced Regionalization, thereby demonstrating its confidence in the contribution of territorial governments to peace, stability, development and progress of the country and to the well-being of citizens;

* Recognizing the essential and active contribution of the Kingdom of Morocco to the development of South-South Cooperation, particularly between African countries, through inter alia, the promotion of decentralization and local development on the continent, the hosting of the Headquarters of UCLG Africa and its African Local Government Academy (ALGA) in Rabat, and the hosting of many missions of the African countries wishing to draw inspiration from the Moroccan experience in the field of decentralization and local development, among other structuring reforms;

-Aware that this undeniable progress that would not have been possible without the enlightened leadership and political will of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, supported by an unshakeable passion for the African continent and a positive vision of its role in the world of today and tomorrow,

* Express our sincere gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI – May God Protect Him – for His tireless work for the sustainable development of Africa and the promotion of Pan-African Cooperation and Solidarity;

* Humbly ask His Majesty for His support for keeping the issue of building the capacity of Human Capital of Local Governments in Africa on top of the priorities of the political agenda in Africa;

* Call the particular attention of His Majesty on the development, influence and support role of UCLG Africa and ALGA in order to sustain the effort of empowering local and regional governments of the continent to fully deliver on their mandates and contribute to the implementation of Agenda 2063 of the African Union.

* Renew our encouragement to His Majesty to persevere in the efforts to implement and consolidate Advanced Regionalization in Morocco, as well as the unity, integration and cooperation in Africa; and

* Pray God Almighty to grant Him wisdom and fairness in the conduct of His Kingdom and His people, and in the exercise of His leadership in the service of structural transformation, economic and political integration and the sustainable development of Africa.

Done in Saidia, on Thursday 26 April 2018

Participants in the 2nd African Forum

Territorial Managers and Training Institutes targeting Territorial Governments in Africa

2nd Edition of the African Forum of Territorial Managers and Training Institutes targeting Local and Regional Governments: The Network of Human Resources Managers of African Local and Regional Governments (Local Africa HR-Net) is now set up!

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Saidia, Morocco, April 26, 2018

The second edition of the African Forum of Territorial Managers and Training Institutes targeting Local and Regional Governments was held April 25-26, 2018 at the BE LIVE hotel in Saidia, (Kingdom of Morocco, Oriental Region). The meeting was co-organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco, the Association of Regions of Morocco (ARM), the Moroccan Association of Presidents of Municipal Councils (AMPCC), the Oriental Regional Council and United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) within the framework of the actions conducted by the Africa Local Governments Academy (ALGA).

250 participants from 35 countries took part in the forum, including ministers, presidents of associations of local and regional authorities, presidents and directors of training institutes, senior staff of local and regional administrations, experts in local governance, components of civil society and the private sector.

The second edition of the forum had the topic: “Mobilization for the development of the human capital of local and regional governments: a key requirement for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Mr. Abdennbi BIIOUI, President of the Oriental Region, chaired the deliberations which were also attended by the following dignitaries: Her Excellency Ms. Paulita WIE, Minister Delegate in charge of Urban Affairs of Liberia; General Mohamed Kamal Hussein BENDARY, Secretary General of the Ministry of Municipal Development of Egypt; Mr. Mouaad JAMAI, Wali of the Oriental Region; Mr. Mohamed MBARKI, Director General of the Oriental Development Agency; Mr. Mohamed BENKADDOUR, President of the Mohammed Premier University of Oujda (UMP); Mr. Omar Ben ISMAIL, President of Saidia Local Government; and Mr. Jean Pierre Elong MBASSI, Secretary General of UCLG Africa.

The various addresses highlighted the importance of investing in human capital to achieve local development and to ensure local government trades are integrated amongst the first career choices of young Africans entering into professional life. Speakers emphasized the symbolic significance of holding this forum in the Oriental region. The region has played a leading role in the movement of African countries against colonial rule, in the strengthening of relations between Sub-Saharan Africa and Mediterranean Africa and in building an African conscience.

Contributions to the deliberations came from representatives of training institutes and organizations such as the Africa Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), the African Association of Public Administration Management (AAPAM), the International City/ County Managers (ICMA, USA), State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovation under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ASAN), the Al Akhawayn University of Ifrane (Morocco), the International Institute of Administrative Science (IIAS), the Kenya School of Governance (KSG), Transparency Morocco, Marchika Med and the General Confederation of Enterprises of Morocco (CGEM-Morocco).

During the two day forum, participants debated and formulated recommendations on the following four themes:

* Investment in the human capital of African public administrations;

* The new human resources requirements of local and regional governments induced by the sustainable development goals;

* Mobilization of the human capital of territorial administrations for the development and economic attractiveness of territories;

* Cooperation to improve the human capital performance of local and regional governments in Africa.

The forum also served as a framework for the holding of the constituent general assembly of the African Network of Human Resources Managers of Local and Regional Governments, namely “Local Africa HR-Net.”

28 Human Resources Managers of Local and Regional Governments from 20 African countries took part in the general assembly, which adopted the Rules and Regulations and set its objectives to:

* Promote the common voice of human resources managers of local and regional governments at the local, national, regional and continental levels;

* Disseminate good practice in the field of human resources management within the local and regional governments of Africa;

* Improve and sustain the professional competence of members and inculcate the culture of performance, service delivery, collaborative networking practice and peer learning;

* Participate in the work and support the initiatives of the Observatory on Human Resources of African Local and Regional Governments, most especially the production of the report on, “The State of Human Resources in African Local and Regional Governments,” which UCLG Africa publishes every three years on the occasion of the Africities Summits. The 8th edition of the Africities summit is scheduled to take place from November 20-24, 2018 in Marrakech (Morocco).

The general assembly also elected the members of the Executive Committee of the network as follows:

Northern Africa: Mr. Ben Mohamed Lachcen, HR Manager of Agadir Municipality (Morocco)

West Africa: Mr. Badara Samb, HR Manager of Louga Territorial Department Council (Senegal)

Central Africa: Ms Makanda Kodono Marie Reine, HR Manager of Bangui City Council (Central African Republic)

East Africa: Mr. Nzoyisaba Claver, HR Manager of Bujumbura City Council (Burundi)

Southern Africa: Ms Albertina Mario Francisco Tivane Albertina, Human Resources Officer of Maputo Municipality (Mozambique).

Ms. Albertina Mario Francisco Tivane Albertina was unanimously elected President of Local Africa HR-Net.

At the end of the deliberations of the forum, the participants adopted the Declaration of Saidia and a vote of thanks addressed to His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

Encl:

–Declaration of Saidia

–Vote of thanks to His Majesty The King of Morocco

For further information, please contact:
Gaëlle Yomi: Tel: + 212 610 56 71 45 Email: gyomi@UCLGa.org
Gautier Brygo: Tel: +212 661 300 829 Email: gbrygo@gmail.com
Zerouali Mohammed: Tel: +212 666036579 Email: m_zerouali@yahoo.fr

Saidia Declaration -2nd Edition of the African Forum of Territorial Managers and Training Institutes targeting Territorial Governments in Africa

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PARTICIPANTS IN THE SECOND EDITION OF THE AFRICAN FORUM OF TERRITORIAL MANAGERS AND TRAINING INSTITUTES TARGETING TERRITORIAL COMMUNITIES held in Saïdia on 25 and 26 April 2018 on the theme: “Mobilizing for the Human Capital Development of Territorial Governments: a key requirement for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals “:

* Aware that the fate of Africa is now playing out in its regions, cities and territories, depending on how they contribute to the promotion of employment and income-generating economic activities, whether or not they adopt economic growth dynamics respectful of the requirements of sustainable development, and whether or not they succeed in safeguarding the feeling of solidarity and justice both within communities and between communities;

* Taking into account the increasingly important role that local and territorial Governments play in managing the multiple challenges Africa is facing pertaining: peace and security; uncontrolled urbanization; climate change; migration, youth expectations, discrimination against women; endemic public debt, technological catch up, etc.;

* Convinced of the strategic importance of local governments human resources in the development and implementation of public policies, as well as the urgent special attention they should be given in order that decentralization policies gain credibility in Africa;

* Convinced that current actions in the field of human resources management and skills development of territorial administrations are characterized by numerous shortcomings which limit their effects, and remain, in any case, still lower than the required levels to effectively support implementation of the SDGs;

DECLARE THAT:

1. We stress the urgent need for modern management of the human resources of the territorial governments of Africa, in order to improve the quality and the performance of the services offered to the populations as well as the contribution of the African communities to the implementation of the African Union Agenda 2063 and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and other global agendas adopted by the United Nations in 2015 and 2016.

2. We draw the attention of national governments, African Union leaders and the international community to the need to place the issue of training of human resources and the enhancement of the professions of local authorities on top of the priorities of the decentralization policies with a view to gradually making them one of the preferred options for young people entering the professional life.

3. We reiterate our support for the African Local Governments Academy (ALGA) set up by UCLG Africa, and call on national governments, national associations of local governments, and development partners to recognize it as the institution of reference to develop the skills of the senior staff of territorial administrations for improving performance, methods and tools in the management of human resources of these administrations.

4. We ask UCLG Africa to take appropriate initiatives to ensure that the Academy contributes to ordering the accreditation and empowerment of African training institutes targeting local authorities, and to collaborate with African institutions dedicated to capacity building of public administrations such as the Africa Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and the African Association of Public Administration Management (AAPAM).

5. We call for the establishment of a permanent mechanism for financing the job training of the personnel of the territorial administrations of Africa in all the States of the continent, which we propose to be fed by a levy of 1% the payroll paid to the said personnel.

6. We welcome the establishment of Local Governments Human Resources Managers, also called “Local Africa HR-NET”, and the appointment of the office bearers tasked its animation; and we support its framework for action as adopted by the members of this Network.

7. We encourage the Local Africa HR-NET to establish a peer review and learning mechanism among its members in order to enhance the collection, documentation and dissemination of experiences as well as the exchange of good practices in the field of management of territorial administrations in Africa.

8. We reiterate our willingness to participate and contribute to the strengthening of international cooperation between communities and regions of Africa in the field of capacity building and improvement of the management of human resources of territorial governments in order to boost solidarity and pool resources between the regions, cities and territories of Africa.

9. We congratulate the main actors of the Oriental Region, under the leadership of the Council of the Region and its President, for their priority commitment to the promotion of human capital and participatory democracy, particularly through the implementation of the Territorial Coaching program within the Region; and the development of South-South cooperation programs between African regions.

10. It is in recognition of these commendable efforts that we propose to make the Oriental Region the annual African meeting place to reflect on the human resources of territorial governments in Africa and propose reforms and accompanying measures in order to improve the professionalism and performance of the territorial administrations in Africa.

Done in Saïdia, Morocco, 26 April 2018.

THE PARTICIPANTS