UCLG Africa signs a Partnership Agreement with the European Commission

On January 28, 2015, in Brussels, five local and regional authorities associations, UCLG Africa included, signed a partnership agreement on development cooperation with the European Commission (EC). They are the first partnership agreements with International Cooperation and Development of the EC.

These strategic partnerships are political agreements that compel the EC and all the signatories to lead actions based on common values and objectives to fight poverty and disparities, as well as to promote democracy and sustainable development.

The strategic agreement was signed in the presence of Neven Mimica, European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Kadir Topbas, Mayor of Istanbul and President of UCLG, Khalifa Sall, Mayor of Dakar and President of UCLG Africa as well as the political representatives of the other signatory organizations:

• •Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris and President of the International Association of Francophone Mayors;
• •Lazaros Saviddes, Mayor of Strovolos (Cyprus) and Board Member of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum;
• •Annemarie Jorritsma, Mayor of Almere (Netherlands) and President of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, representing PLATFORMA.

Further to the signing of this strategic agreement, UCLG Africa President declared, “UCLG Africa makes a commitment to work with the European Commission to place the local governments at the heart of governance and development».

As for the cooperation areas established in this partnership, they cover most of the stakes that face local and regional governments. Indeed, this partnership is concluded at a time when the world defines a new international agenda for development, which will add more strength to the global network to contribute to the Post-2015 Agenda and to work towards Habitat III.

Besides, it will strengthen the means of local and regional governments to raise the importance of local development within the global agenda, to stress the need to include local governance in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to work on shaping localization, its implementation, and addressing global challenges from a local perspective.

For further information, please check out:

UCLG Press Release here

Local and Regional Governments Joint Press Release here

European Commission Press Release here

UCLG Africa President Photos at the European Commission here.

Framework Partnership Agreements with Associations of Local Authorities signing ceremony video here.