United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa), and The Hague Academy for Local Governance (THA) have signed, on Friday, October 14th, 2022, during the World Congress of UCLG in Daejeon, South Korea, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which represents the intent of the new Partners to work together and outlines the basis for close cooperation, partnership, and joint activities in arrears of mutual interest for a period of three (03) years. This agreement was signed by Mr Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG Africa and Ms Cecile Meijs, Director of The Hague Academy for Local Governance, with the presence of the Hon. Ms Fatimetou Mint Abdel Malick, President of UCLG Africa and President of the Region of Nouakchott, Mauritania, the Hon. Mr Pieter Jeroense, Chair of the Board of The Hague Academy for local Governance, the Hon. Ms Roheyatou Malick Lowe, President of REFELA and Lord Mayor of the City of Banjul, The Gambia, the Hon. Ms Asmaa Rhlalou, President of the Communal Council of the City of Rabat, Morocco, Dr Najat Zarrouk, Director of Development and of ALGA of UCLG Africa and Dr Neila Akrimi, Director MENA-VNG International. This MoU give the generic framework for UCLG Africa and THA to promote joint activities, training programs, share lessons learnt and build communities of practice, exchange methodologies, knowledge, experience, tools and documentation, in the area of Public Administration, Governance, Local Governance, Local Development, Training, Learning and Capacity building. And will also govern joint activities between the two Partners which will be largely focused on organizing joint activities, to the benefit of elected officials and civil servants. In the context of this MoU, UCLG Africa and THA have agreed to cooperate and collaborate in the following areas: 1. Support to the UCLG-Africa and the THA activities and initiatives; 2. Sharing methodologies, good practices, knowledge, tools and case studies; 3. Organization of joint events, training, conferences and workshops; 4. Developing mechanisms for participation and interaction at one another’s events – conferences, congresses, dialogues and other, especially those related to Local Governance and Local Development; 5. Sharing information through access and exchange of each organization’s professional publications; 6. Organizing seminars of international experts in areas mutually agreed upon by Parties; 7. Facilitating the identification of subject-matter experts from both institutions’ Rosters of experts, when necessary and for projects and activities of common interest; 8. Assistance in the creation of a Regional Hub for the local and regional public service to create the institutional framework of continuous exchange of knowledge and experience in the sphere of public service at local and regional level; 9. Knowledge and expertise sharing for the development of joint publications, books, reports, policy briefs, etc…; 10. Exchange of information on potential sources of financial aid for scientific research; 11. Disseminating the specifics of this agreement throughout UCLG-Africa and THA; 12. Any other activity of mutual interest.