UCLG Africa and ICLEI Africa announce a new strategic partnership to accelerate the localisation and implementation of global and African sustainable development goals and targets at the subnational level

27^th of February 2019 in Rabat, Morocco

United Cities and Local Governments Africa (UCLG AFRICA) and ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability-Africa (ICLEI Africa) are very pleased to announce a strengthened collaborative partnership to accelerate the localization and implementation of the global and African development goals and targets at subnational level.

This collaboration builds on and complements the existing formal partnership between UCLG and ICLEI at the global level, as was renewed and strengthened in 2018 through a new global-level MoU. It is particularly important in the framework of the UCLG Africa Climate Task Force, which brings together all interested parties in the strengthening and empowerment of subnational and local governments’ role in the climate change and sustainability agenda.

To ensure full alignment with Agenda 2063 and accelerate access to new and existing financing mechanisms and partnerships for implementation at the subnational level, UCLG Africa and ICLEI Africa have agreed to build on their long-standing cooperative relationship by entering into a new level of intensified collaboration.  This will be facilitated by a more robust and sustained Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to be signed during the upcoming Africa Climate Week in Accra, in March 2019.

General cooperation on urban sustainability

• • UCLG Africa and ICLEI Africa commit to complement each other and seek synergy for the benefit of their shared constituency in the field of sustainable development with a special focus on addressing climate mitigation, adaptation to climate change, resilience, access to energy and climate finance.
  • UCLG Africa and ICLEI Africa confirm the leading political role of UCLG Africa and its associated core advocacy mandate to promote the recognition of subnational governments within the African and global contexts.
  • UCLG Africa and ICLEI Africa confirm the leading technical role of ICLEI Africa in supporting climate and sustainability actions at subnational level within the African and global context.  
  • Other agreed areas of collaboration include the promotion of local and territorial solutions in the fields of circular economy, food security, biodiversity, green and sustainable infrastructure, water and sanitation, sustainable mobility, gender and youth development and private sector partnerships in the field of climate change and sustainability, along with support for the development and implementation of south-south and triangular decentralized cooperation partnerships regarding climate change and sustainability.
  • UCLG Africa and ICLEI Africa remain committed to collaborate within the context provided by the    African Union and its institutional mechanisms, in particular AMCEN and CAHOSC, and commit to jointly approach other key players on the continental landscape, such as the African Development Bank, other regional development banks, as well the Regional Economic Communities and other pan-African bodies within the African Union Governance Architecture, etc.
  • UCLG Africa and ICLEI Africa will cooperate with appropriate stakeholders and participate jointly in the lobbying of national governments and African Union bodies in order that the management of urbanization and the transition to sustainable cities and territories in Africa are considered priority issues on the political agenda of Africa.
  • The Secretary General of UCLG Africa and the Regional Director of ICLEI Africa will meet (in person) at least once a year in a dedicated meeting, to review the progress of relations between the two institutions and prioritize actions for the year ahead, in collaboration with their respective senior staff, complemented by regular online meetings and further opportunities provided through events and platforms.

Cooperation in the field of research

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