“African Cities and Local Governments at the heart of the post-COVID Economic and Financial Recovery: The role of the Africa Territorial Agency (ATA)
On May 26, 2021, UCLG Africa held a webinar on the theme of “African Cities and Local Governments at the heart of post-COVID Economic and Financial Recovery: The role of the Africa Territorial Agency (ATA)“.
The official opening was made by General Mahmoud Shaarawy, Minister of Local Development of the Arab Republic of Egypt. More than 150 participants including elected officials (Mayors and Presidents of Regions), members of financial institutions (AfDB), Chief Financial Officers of Local and Regional Governments, City Managers, Chief technical Officers, Executive Secretaries of National Associations of Local Authorities, Executives and Directors of Tax and Treasury services, and the Heads of the National Decentralization Directorates of the Local Authorities as well as Officers in charge of development planning at the national level.
Productive exchanges of ideas were held around the sharing of experience of the various actors of the 5 regions of the continent concerning the impact of COVID-19 on the financial capacities of local authorities and the role that the Africa Territorial Agency would play in the provision of additional resources from the financial market and ensure a revival of the more viable financial system.
It emerges from the work that local and regional governments of the continent are determined to adhere to the implementation process of the Africa Territorial Agency (ATA) which will allow them to have access to the financial market in a collective manner.
The proposed next steps include enrolling more members into the ATA cooperative in order to reach 100 or more members. The national associations of local authorities and cities were invited to: 1) Seize the financing opportunities put in place by the AfDB in favor of local authorities, 2) Organize exchanges between them and with their government on ways and means to strengthen the capacities of local authorities to access the financial market.
Follow the different exchanges here .
Check out the ATA presentation brochure here.
