Participation of UCLG Africa in the meeting on the GOLD V Report
The World Organization of Local and Regional Governments (UCLG) brought together the secretary generals of the various sections at its headquarters in Barcelona, Spain from 9 -10 September, 2019. The main objectives of the meeting were to discuss the GOLD V report, to evaluate the progress in localizing the global agendas and to share their progress towards the World Congress next November in Durban.
UCLG Africa was represented by its Secretary General, Mr Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi. The first day the meeting was opened by Mrs. Emilia Saiz, Secretary General of UCLG and Salvador Gausa i Gascón, Director of IR of Barcelona Provincial Council and focused on discussing the contents of the GOLD report in order to define its conclusions. The sections also made recommendations for the different regional chapters.
The Global Report on Local Democracy and Decentralization (GOLD Report), is a publication that examines the state of decentralization and local democracy around the world. This fifth edition pays particular attention to localizing global agendas. It has contributions from a wide range of local experts, representatives of municipal and regional authorities and professionals involved in policy-making.
The general secretaries of the various sections (Africa, Europe, Asia Pacific, Eurasia, North America, Latin America, Middle East, West Asia and Metropolis) were given a presentation on the progress made towards the UCLG World Congress, which will take place in Durban, South Africa, from 11-15 November, 2019. In the introduction, a general perspective of the progress in each of its axes (Assembly, Town Hall, Local4Action and Statutory) was proposed.
The Assembly’s focus was strengthened in the second half of the morning, with UCLG sections providing their key messages and political priorities in order to create in Durban an Assembly capable of responding to continental challenges and the organization’s political priorities.
Finally, the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the statutory matters of the organization and the general secretaries were informed of the candidatures for the formation of the World Council, the Executive Bureau and the presidency of the organization, which will be defined at the Durban Summit.
In Durban, Africa will run for the presidency of the World Organization (UCLG) with the candidacy of Mr. Mohamed Boudra, President of the Association of Presidents of Moroccan Communal Councils (AMPCC). The appointment of African representatives to the various world bodies was made at the meeting of Statutory Bodies of UCLG Africa held in June 2019 in Cairo (Egypt) and at the extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa held on 28 July, 2019 in Libreville (Gabon).
Registration for the congress is open and available here.