4th World Forum on Local economic development: see the Final Declaration
The City of Praia (Cape Verde) hosted the 4th edition of the World Forum on Local Economic development (DEL), October 17- 20, 2017. The first to be held in Africa, The four days saw the participation of nearly 2000 delegates. The final declaration of the Forum was read by Mr. Emmanuel Pina, President of the Association of municipalities of Cape Verde. The document reflected the conclusions of the debates, the sharing of experiences and the good practices shared by delegates.
For more information on the Final Declaration of the 4th World Forum on LED, click on this link: (add link to first article)
The Praia Declaration reaffirms a shared vision of local economic development at the global level and the promotion of the LED as an effective means to achieve sustainable development through the 2030 Agenda. For the delegates, the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development provides a comprehensive reference for a people-centered, transformative vision and action on achieving sustainable development through the establishment of inclusive, cohesive, peaceful, and resilient societies.
The delegates of the 4th World Forum on LED reaffirmed the distinct role of LED in turning global dialogue into concrete development opportunities at the local level, driving an alternative, more equitable, inclusive and sustainable economic development model from and through territories as a means to achieving universal goals. Among the 12 points of the Praia Declaration are:
– The key leading role of local and regional governments and their associations; city-to city dialogue for mutual learning, in enabling effective and inclusive LED processes in articulation with national governments and policies; and in particular, the crucial role of intermediate cities in fostering urban-rural linkages and integration through sustainable production and consumption patterns
– The relevance of integrated LED systems as a means for localizing the SDGs – through policy coherence, accountable institutions, effective social dialogue, inclusive governance and integrated planning, effective services delivery, transparent management and monitoring
– The potential of LED as a vector of socio-economic and territorial cohesion, enabling synergies and reducing disparities through territorial cooperation and partnerships and taking special advantage of the alternative dynamic of South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC)
– The key transformative role of the private sector and specifically SMEs and their networks, in enabling partnerships and synergies for the implementation of the SDGs at the territorial level, through the creation of decent jobs and shared and inclusive innovation practices.
