Updates from advocacy & mobilization

UCLG Africa AND ECOWAS

WARO is liaising with the Regional Economic Community of West Africa, ECOWAS: The objective being to set up an information desk to ensure representation of local government at the level of the region’s economic commission.

The Regional Director of West Africa Regional Office, Mrs. Juliet Sale, received in audience by His Excellency Marcel Alain De Souza, President of the ECOWAS Commission at the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja.

On the 10^th of November 2017, the Regional Director of the West Africa Regional Office, Mrs. Juliet Mekone Sale, had an audience with the President of the Commission, H.E. Marcel De Souza, at the Economic Community for West African States office based in Abuja, Nigeria. The objective of the meeting was to discuss a partnership agreement between the ECOWAS Commission and the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (WARO). The President of the ECOWAS Commission acknowledged the importance of the partnership as ECOWAS works primarily with communities of West Africa and requested that both organizations work together to prepare a Memorandum Of Understanding.

UCLG Africa Climate Change Hub

Climate Change Hub at WARO that hosts the Covenant of Mayors Office for Sub-Saharan Africa’s help-desk officer for the initiative.

Director of WARO – Mrs. Juliet Mekone Sale at COP 23 Bonn, Germany

The Mayor of Zou (CoMSSA) with mayors of other cities at the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.

UCLG Africa launched new initiatives in the fight against climate change, especially at local and subnational levels.

The WARO team attended the COP 23 held in Bonn and took part in the Global Covenant of Mayors Day, the side events on vertical integration and climate financing for African cities, and the Local and Regional Governments Summit. The WARO Director also participated on several panels in which she shared UCLG Africa’s experiences on climate change issues in African cities. The Director of The West Africa Regional Office represented the Secretary General of UCLG Africa at the Francophonie Award.

Participation at the first forum for local government officials and managers of training institutions (Salé, Morocco, September 18-20, 2017)

The WARO team attended the first forum for local government officials and managers of training institutions organized in Salé, Morocco, September 18–20, 2017. During the forum the WARO team promoted the Covenant of Mayors for Sub-Saharan Africa’s (CoMSSA) initiative and encouraged city managers to have their municipalities join. The project was presented during a thematic workshop and at the meetings of national local government association members of UCLG Africa, as well as on the exhibition stand for the project.

The WARO team at the CoMSSA stand

The Director of WARO presenting the CoMSSA initiative

Participation at the 1^st Assize on Decentralized Cooperation (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, October 5–7, 2017)

The help-desk officer of CoMSSA, based at the West Africa Regional Office, participated in the Decentralized Assize that took place in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. He presented and discussed the initiative at a round table explaining its objectives and benefits, as well as the process to join. He also participated at a working session with the Minister of Decentralization and Local Taxes of Mali.

The help-desk officer of CoMSSA with the Minister of Decentralization and Local Taxes of Mali and the representative of PLATFORMA

The help-desk officer of CoMSSA with the Mayor of Ouagadougou and representatives of PLATFORMA and Cités Unies, France

Participation in the Inception Visit in CoMSSA pilot cities

The help-desk officer of CoMSSA attended the Inception Visit in Kampala, Uganda, March 13– 17, 2017 and Tsévié, Togo, May 10–13, 2017 and supported the organization of other inception visits held in Dakar, Pikine, Nouakchott and Lubumbashi.

The Inception Visit is a technical meeting, which brings together technical services from the city, devolved State services and civil society organizations in order to discuss the initiative, technical support, how to develop the Sustainable Energy Access Climate Action Plans, the involvement of CSOs and also realize territorial mapping based on the initiative’s 3 pillars (Adaptation, Mitigation and Access to Energy).

Group Photo in Kampala (Uganda)

CoMSSA team with the Mayor of Tsévié (Togo)