Forum: Cities and Regions for Development Cooperation 2019: UCLG Africa will reflect on the theme: ‘Cooperate around Migration’
Brussels will host the forum: ‘Cities and Regions for Development Cooperation’ on February 4 – 5, 2019. Jointly organized by the European Commission and the European Committee of the Regions, the Forum will bring together European institutions and Local and Regional Authorities from the EU and partner countries with the aim of strengthening policy dialogues between these bodies.
UCLG Africa will take an active part in the event with a delegation led by its secretary general, Mr Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi. On the first day, February 4th he will act as rapporteur for the open debate on partnerships for sustainable urban development. On the second day of the forum, February 5th, UCLG Africa In Partnership with The International Institute of Administrative Science (IISA) & the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA) will organize a side event on the theme, ‘Cooperate around Migration’.
Migration is one of the primary challenges facing African local authorities on a daily basis. During the 8th edition of the Africities Summit (November 20-24, 2018), African local authorities adopted the Charter of Local and Subnational Governments of Africa on Migration where they agreed, on the one hand to, “enforce the rights of migrants in its locality, to facilitate their peaceful integration into hosting communities and to promote cohesion and conviviality between the hosting communities and the migrant populations,” and on the other hand, to draw the attention of National Governments to the fact that it is this ability to engage in free movement that stabilizes migratory flows and therefore request that National Governments facilitate the provision of legal entry and circulation visas to migrant populations in order to dry up the source of illegal and irregular migrations.
The main objective of the side event “Cooperate around Migration,” is to engage in dialogue about the content of the Charter and on strategies that can make migration a real opportunity for the different actors and stakeholders involved.
Specific objectives and expected results include to :
- Situate the position and role of the regional and local governments in the global, African and European dialogue on migration;
- Highlight the role and responsibilities of cities and territories in the management of migration flows and the reception of refugees and migrants, whether in countries of origin, transit or reception;
- Identify and discuss good practices in governance and management of migration at the local level, including identifying the capacity building needs of local elected officials;
- See to what extent partnership and decentralized cooperation can be strategic levers to change the perception of crisis migration to migration-opportunity;
- Establish joint and concerted actions at territorial and local level to meet the needs of refugees and local populations and to meet international commitments;
- Identify strategic areas to be pursued by European and African local and regional governments and articulate political dialogue with European authorities, particularly in the framework of the Post-Cotonou negotiation, which will include a fundamental chapter on migration.
Read the concept note of the side event.
Visit the website of the Forum.
Date and venue:
February 5, 2019, from 14:30 to 18:00. Venue: The Headquarters of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS), Street “Rue du Commerce 96”, 1040, Brussels, Belgium, Room C121.
Contact persons:
Dr Najat Zarrouk, Director of the African Local Government Academy of UCLG Africa
Email : najat_zarrouk@yahoo.fr
Mobile : +212 (0)661 120 552
Ms Lova Ramilijaona, of ALGA
Email : lramilijaona@uclga.org
Mobile: +212 (0) 658 33 30 27
