Tag Archive for: REFELA

REFELA receives INTERNATIONAL IDEALKENT AWARD for the Woman-Friendly City Category at UNESCO

/in /by

On 16 January 2020, REFELA received the IDEALKENT Award for the Woman-Friendly City Category, at UNESCO-Paris, for its project ”African Cities Campaign for Zero Tolerance to Violence against Women and Girls”.

This award gives women mayors and locally elected women in Africa recognition of the value of their continued mobilization to end violence against women and girls in Africa since the creation of their network in 2011, as well as recognition of the relevance of their initiative.

The President of REFELA, Mrs Dao Macoura Coulibaly thanked the Institute of Urban Studies, its Secretary General, its Director General and its partners (COJEP International, UNESCO, UCLG-MEWA, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities-Council of Europe) for honoring the network by awarding it this Prize. On the occasion of the forum “The Future of Local Governance”, the objectives will be to encourage urban actors concerned about participatory democracy in cities.

According to a report on the situation of violence against women and girls in Africa,prepared by REFELA, statistics reveal the many grievances, forms of violence and discrimination experienced by African women. This analytical report confirms that violence against women and girls is a real, persistent and widespread problem on the African continent. The Prize obtained at UNESCO rewards the perseverance of women mayors and locally elected women in Africa in wanting to tackle this problem and put an end to it, by establishing a collaborative framework with African cities through this Campaign#.

For this purpose, this campaign is based on a territorial approach to the fight against violence against women and girls and is organized around governance bodies, coordination and monitoring mechanisms, stages and priority lines of action to be implemented by REFELA-UCLG Africa and by African cities that have joined the campaign and on the basis of a toolbox designed to strengthen their capacities. Cities that adhere to this initiative will develop solutions, services, projects and actions with REFELA to protect women victims of violence and improve their well-being in the local territory, close to home and as close as possible to their daily lives.

The project aims to propose a strategy and appropriate protocols involving all parties concerned at the local level (police, health services, etc., including civil society), while providing the basic services needed to take care of victims. This Prize demonstrates the willingness of the Institute and its partners to contribute to the success of the “African Cities Campaign for Zero Tolerance of Violence against Women and Girls” project, which encourages African cities to take action against this scourge by joining forces with women mayors and local elected representatives for its implementation and follow-up.

The IdealKent Award offers REFELA great opportunities to inform and communicate that it is acting, through this Campaign#, for an imperative reduction of the horrors of violence against women and girls by 2030, in accordance with the Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 5: “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”, which cannot be achieved if women continue to suffer violence throughout their lives. Equally, this Prize contributes to strengthening the objectives of REFELA, aiming not only at giving an African scope to the campaign, but also an international one. Indeed, women mayors and locally elected representatives of Africa are advocating, before African and international bodies, for greater mobilization to combat and eventually eradicate all forms of violence against African women and girls and are working to make its Campaign# of African Cities an integral part of the Global Campaign to End Violence against Women and Girls, launched every year on 25 November.

“African cities need their women, so they must take the issue of violence against them more seriously, to make these cities safe, resilient and sustainable” (SDG 11). This should not be wishful thinking, but a reality of concrete actions, because things will not happen by themselves.

Women mayors and locally elected women in Africa hope that this Prize will help to pave the way for this awareness and that regional and local governments will act in support of the campaign project, which they will have to adhere to in order to allow the women of their territory to live in safety, as urged by the Secretary General of UCLG Africa, Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, “Local Africa, transforming women’s lives”.

This is an opportunity to make appeals: (i) an appeal to the African States, for the integration of the actions of this Campaign of REFELA-UCLG Africa, in the national action plans to combat violence against women and girls and to grant cities and local authorities the necessary resources for its implementation, and (ii) an appeal to international organizations, including those of the United Nations and the EU, to take into account in this crucial phase, the implementation of the Global Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Committee recommends that the African Cities and Towns Campaign for Zero Tolerance of Violence against Women and Girls be given a clearer picture of the extent and complexity of the issue of violence against women and girls in African cities and local communities and that it be resolved to mobilize substantial funds and technical partnerships, including support for the implementation and monitoring-evaluation of the “African Cities and Towns Campaign for Zero Tolerance of Violence against Women and Girls”.

Elaborated by Dr Malika Ghefrane Giorgi
Special Adviser REFELA-UCLG Africa

The REFELA “Campaign# of African Cities, with zero tolerance for violence against women and girls”, selected to the Idealkent Awards for Women-friendly City

/in , , , , /by

The Local Elected Women’s Network of Africa (REFELA) of UCLG Africa launched on 31 January 2019 a call of expression of interest to cities wishing to voluntarily take part in the, “Campaign of African Cities, Zero Tolerance to Violence Against Women and Girls”.  22 African cities have voluntarily joined this campaign.

On November 2019, this “Campaign# of African Cities, with zero tolerance for violence against women and girls” has been selected to Idealkent Awards for Women-friendly City.

The REFELA campaign is qualified as an “innovative and outstanding project” by The organizers.

The Idealkent Award Ceremony will take place on 16 January 2020 in Paris UNESCO building.

The Idealkent Awards is an initiative of the Institute of Urban Studies.

The Idealken Awards aims to support planning projects that calculates growth in the future in a multidimensional way, the protection of urban and architectural structure, the human-centric urban transformation applications, the efforts for identity and culture construction, the arrangements of human ecology and environmental planning, the pedestrian-centric city planning, incentivizing mass transportation practices; and encourages urban actors who care about and make efforts to maintain participatory democracy in the cities.    

To no more about the Idealkent Awards and all the categories visit the website  here .

Read the motivation of some cities involve in the REFELA Campaign here.

 

 

 

 

Lauching of the Refela Gambian Chapter

/in , , , , , /by

On 5 and 6 October 2019, the group of Gambian women mayors and local elected representatives chaired by Mrs Rohey Lowe, Mayor of Banjul Municipality, in partnership with UCLG Africa and UNDP, launched the Gambian National Chapter of REFELA (the network of Locally Elected Women in Africa).

The Mayor of Banjul, Rohey Lowe presided over the official launching at the Atlantic Hotel of Banjul. This launch was technically supported by the REFELA secretariat and the Network’s presidency, with the REFELA focal point, the Mayor of Banjul.

Mayor Lowe said the launch will mark a turning point in the aspiration of Gambian women in all areas of development. She explained that REFELA is the standing committee on gender equality of UCLG Africa. In accordance with REFELA’s Rules of Procedure, the new Gambian national chapter will be the Gender Commission of the National Association of Gambian Local Authorities.

She further disclosed that the campaign to better the lives of women as advocated by REFELA took a very positive turn through her election as the first woman Mayor of the Capital City of Banjul.

“But the situation is more challenging for rural women whose active participation in governance especially in Local Government has been largely absent. And if the current situation remains unchecked the status of women with respect to active participation in electoral process and governance will only get worse,” she warned.

According to Mayor Lowe, women constitute far more than half of the population and they also constitute about 54% of all registered voters, yet they lack representation despite forming the majority.

“Even though women are known to be loyal supporters and form the base of their political parties, they are still grossly under-represented in the hierarchy of their own parties and in other elective offices in the country“.

“As mentioned in the Roadmap, all of the Sustainable Development Goals have targets directly related to the responsibilities of local and regional governments,” she disclosed.

Mayor Lowe called on women to be committed to the goals set by 2030 for Gambian women to reach remarkable heights in the political and economic development of the country.

The Gambian chapter of REFELA is already engage in the mains REFELA Campaigns :

Ø The Campaign for African Cities without Street Children ( Watch video of REFELA Gambia)

Ø The Campaign for African Cities’ Zero Tolerance to Violence Against Women and Girls (Watch video of REFELA Gambia )

Ø The Campaign for African Cities for Women’s Economic Empowerment

The launching of the Gambian chapter of REFELA, follow the dynamique impulse by REFELA after the last Africities8 Summit, held in November 2018 in Marrakech (Morocco).  On June 2019, another national chapter of REFELA was launch in Namibia, followed by the launch of REFELA chapter of Eswatini (Ex Swaziland).

Watch the resume of the lauching  ceremony fo REFELA Namibia.

“Capacity building in the work place is very important”, Pam Belcher- Taylor, Mayor of Paynesville (Liberia)

/in , , , , , /by

Pam Belcher-Taylor is the mayor of Paynesville, the largest city in Liberia and home to approximately 320,000 people. Since her arrival in 2018 she has placed the capacity building of human resources as one of the main pillars of her mandate, especially for women and girls in the work place.  This has seen the creation of women’s groups to help young women who live on the streets to change their life conditions and gain work skills.

In this video Mayor Pam Belcher-Taylor talks about some of the projects initiated by her municipality and gives advice to youth who want to engage in politics.

Mayor Pam Belcher-Taylor shared Paynesville’s experience with other African local authorities during the  3rd edition of the Forum of Territorial Managers and Training Institutes targeting the Local Level in Africa (FAMI), which was organized by the African Local Government Academy (ALGA) of UCLG Africa, 10 -14 June, 2019 in Ifrane (Morocco).

Watch the interview below. 

View the presentation of Paynesville Projects  Here. 

 

 

Extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa: Morocco chosen as Africa’s candidate for the presidency of UCLG World

/in , , , , , /by

Libreville, the capital of Gabon, hosted an extraordinary meeting of UCLG Africa’s Executive Committee on 26 July 2019.  The meeting, convened on the initiative of the President of UCLG Africa, Mr. Léandre Nzue, Mayor of Libreville, was officially opened by the Prime Minister of Gabon: His Excellency Mr Julien Nkoghe Bekalé.

The sole purpose of the Executive Committee meeting (Extraordinary) was the Designation of candidates of Africa for the Presidency of the United Cities and Local Governments – World within the framework of the World Congress that will be held from 11 to 15 November 2019 in Durban, South Africa

For the nomination of the candidate for the position of UCLG World President, the members of the Executive Committee present used a vote to choose between the Moroccan candidature put forward by the Association of Presidents of Moroccan Communal Councils (AMPCC) and the South African candidature put forward by the National Association of South African Local Authorities (SALGA).  At the end of the vote, the Moroccan candidate obtained a majority of votes.

Thus, the President of the AMPCC, Mr. Mohamed Boudra will be Africa’s candidate for the position of UCLG World President.

Concerning the nomination of Africa’s candidate for the post of UCLG Vice-President for Africa, the only candidate in the running was the Association of Municipalities of Burkina Faso (AMBF), represented by its President, Mr. Armand Béouindé.

Elections for the renewal bodies of UCLG are scheduled from 11 to 15 November 2019 in Durban, South Africa during the World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders.

The President of UCLG Africa, Mr. Léandre Nzue, invited all members to mobilise and support Morocco’s candidacy for the position of President of the world organization UCLG.

In Durban, Africa’s mission will be to repeat the achievement of 2016 in Bogota (Colombia), where it was first taken to the head of the world organization through its candidate Park Tau, then president of the National Association of Local Authorities of South Africa (SALGA).

 

The presentation of the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa is available here. 

 

 

 

 

The REFELA among the delegation of mayors of the world, received in audience by the Secretary General of the United Nations, at the High Level Policy Forum on Sustainable Development

/in , , , , , /by

The High-level Political Forum is the United Nations body responsible for global review of progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The main theme of the 2019 Forum, held from 09-18 July at United Nations Headquarters in New York, was “Empowering People and Ensuring Inclusion and Equality”.  It was discussed how to empower people and ensure inclusion and equality, while assessing overall progress in achieving the SDGs, with special attention to SDGs  8, 10, 13, 16 and 17.

It is in this context that the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. António Guterres, received in audience, a delegation of mayors of the world, which represented several networks, members of the Global Taskforce, including UCLG and the Network of Locally Elected Women in Africa (REFELA) of UCLG Africa. This delegation was led by the President of the world organization of UCLG, Mr Parks Tau with the participation of the President of REFELA, Mrs. Macoura Coulibaly Dao, Mayor of the commune of Foumbolo-Côte d’Ivoire, and of other mayors from Africa and other continents.

During this hearing, the Secretary General of the United Nations mentioned, among other things, the importance of the role of local authorities in localizing the 17 SDGs of the International Agenda, to “Empower people and ensure Inclusion and Equality”, as discussed in this High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development of key actors to be considered for the implementation of the global development goals. The delegation received by the Secretary General of the UN was made up of elected officials.The challenge for the mayors present at this hearing and for the President of REFELA was to convince the UN Secretary General to give speaking time to UCLG, UCLG Africa, UCLG Africa’s Global task Force on Climate,  and REFELA, at the United Nations General Assembly to draw attention   be given to local authorities.

 

.Intervention of local elected officials :

The GLOBAL Taskforce could be a credible interlocutor. It is about moving governance mechanisms, by asking natioonal governments  to consider the place of local authorities alongside them. The challenge is to unite forces and means of action to face challenges such as ecological emergencies, gender equality, poverty alleviation, educational development, the rebalancing of public policies, and global actions that today make people vulnerable.

Local authorities are at the forefront of meeting these challenges. They must have the means to act: recognizing their role and giving them a place in global governance would be an important step.

 

On behalf of REFELA, President Macoura Dao was able to send a strong message to the UN Secretary-General: “REFELA joins the various messages delivered by the representatives of networks of elected officials,  and draws attention to the importance of the proximity of African women local elected representatives, to achieve the global goals. In addition, people should count on women mayors and female local elected representatives of Africa, grouped within REFELA, and on  their determination to act for the implementation of SDGs 4, 5, 11 and 15. Women mayors and female elected officials propose to carry out three campaigns, (i) the campaign of African cities without street children; (ii) the campaign of African cities with zero tolerance for violence against women and girls; and (iii) the campaign of African cities for women’s economic empowerment; convinced that, if implemented, these campaigns would help make the cities and territories of Africa sustainable communities, where inhabitants – bothe male and female- would feel concretely the improvement of their living conditions. This is only possible with the improvement of the economic, social and political inclusion of women and the support of the international community “.

“Answer of the U.N. Secretary General: “You preach to a convinced, my wife is still a local elected official in Italy and I myself had  local mandates … I understand the importance of the actions of local authorities and the specificity of their roles in the implementation of the SDGs. But this is a forum of national governments  and I am not the only one to decide. It is obvious that some national governments are against putting local authorities in the limelight, but I support you … You must convince each of your natiopnal governments to take you in the official delegation … I congratulate REFELA: I know that women need support, and I will support you … ” »

Call for Consultation Drafting of the Charter of Local Authorities for Gender Equality in Africa (Deadline: September 30, 2019 )

/in , /by

Presentation

An online consultation will take place with the purpose of facilitating greater participation in the drafting of the “Charter of Local Authorities for Gender Equality in Africa.” This will contribute towards the implementation of the “Marrakech Europe-Africa Pact for Local Equality,” established by REFELA-CGLU Africa with CCRE-Platforma-Section Europe and the World Organization, UCLG, at the 8th edition of the Marrakech Africities Summit (20-24 November, 2018).

The consultation is aimed at local governments in Africa, UCLG Africa and REFELA bodies and national associations of local authorities in Africa. It will also target civil society organizations, including women’s rights associations, national organizations in Africa and Europe and those interested in promoting gender equality in Africa and who wish to be involved, through their ideas and proposals, in the drafting of the charter.

It will require completion of a short questionnaire (8 closed questions with explanations) and aims to gather information, opinions, guidelines and advice, which will be taken into consideration in order to produce a draft of the “Charter of Local Authorities for Gender Equality in Africa” through a participatory process.

Calling all women mayors, local elected officials, representatives of civil society and national and international organizations to complete the questionnaire here

(Please add a cross to indicate your answers and give reasons for your response)

Please send the questionnaire to the following address: KDrissa@uclga.org / mghefrane@uclga.org or possibility of sending by fax to the following number +212 537 260 060

Possibility to answer online at the following links:
French
English

The first steps in the drafting of the “Local authorities Charter for gender equality in Africa”

/in , /by

On Thursday 4 July 2019, the first meeting of the Europe-Africa committee to draft the “Local authorities Charter for gender equality in Africa” was held at the Paris City Hall (France).

This 1st meeting is part of the implementation of the “Europe-Africa Pact for Local Equality” adopted in November 2018 by women mayors and local elected representatives, during the 8th edition of the Africities Summit, and signed by the Network of Women Elected and Leaders of Local Authorities in Africa (REFELA) of UCLG Africa, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR)-Platforma and the World Organization of Local and Regional Governments (UCLG).

The meeting was opened in the presence of Mr. Pierre Aidenbaum,the mayor of the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, Mr. Frédéric Vallier, CEMR Secretary General, Mrs Dao Macoura Coulibaly, President of REFELA, Mrs Henriette Essame, Vice-President of REFELA for the Central African region, Mrs Irma Juliandres Harilalaina, Vice-President of REFELA for the East African region.

The meeting’s agenda included:

-The presentation of the draft charter development process using a participatory approach,

-Presentation of the questionnaire for the online consultation,

– The presentation of the European Charter;

– A discussion on the draft approach and key questions;

– Adoption of the calendar of upcoming activities;

A brief presentation of the UCLG World Congress scheduled for 11-15 November 2019 in Durban, South Africa.

In her speech, Mrs Macoura Dao, President of REFELA, expressed particular interest in seeing the charter adopted at the Durban Congress. “The next important event is the UCLG World Congress in November 2019. We would like to see this Charter finalized by the time this congress is held so that it can be discussed and adopted on this occasion,” she said.

The meeting, moderated by Mr Emil Broberg, President of CEMR’s Standing Committee for Equality and member of the Swedish Association of Local and Regional Authorities, was marked by very relevant exchanges and the sharing of information and proposals that enriched the drafting process of the charter.

The name of the committee has changed to: The Africa-Europe Committee for Consultation and Support to the Charter, has set itself the task of monitoring and supporting the drafting of the Charter; stressing that the Charter must be an African product. The speakers insisted on the fact that the consultation of mayors and elected women and men of African cities and communities should be broadened for their participation in this drafting process and to guarantee, from this stage, better information and communication on the Charter and thus enable it to be better anchored once it has been drafted and adopted.

One of the main recommendations is to take the time necessary for the drafting of the first drafts of this charter by the internal working group of REFELA UCLG Africa and to submit it to committee meetings, or even workshops and events such as the 6th UCLG World Congress for consultation for their enrichment; the important thing is to produce a final version of this charter in line with the expectations of local governments in Africa.

The drafting committee also approved the draft approach for the elaboration of the “Charter of Local Authorities for Gender Equality in Africa”, the online consultation platform and the Committee’s calendar of upcoming activities for the period 2019-2021.

The main steps include:

– The organization of a session during the UCLG World Congress in Durban (11-15 November 2019) by UCLG Africa, in collaboration with CEMR and with the support of UCLG, to present the Pact and the drafting plan of the Charter, and to encourage the emergence of a debate at international level, in particular by convening the participation of other regional sections of UCLG;

– The preparation, organization and implementation by CEMR and UCLG Africa, with the support of UCLG, of the second working meeting of the Drafting Committee and a session during the Europe-Africa Forum to present the Pact and the draft charter for approval (during 2020);

– The finalization of the charter and the production of a strategic plan for information, dissemination and advocacy for the adhesion and signature of the charter;

– The preparation, organization and implementation by UCLG Africa and CEMR, with the support of UCLG, of a presentation, information, dissemination and advocacy session on the Pact, aimed at encouraging adherence to the Charter and launching the process of signing the Charter during the 9th Africities Summit of UCLG Africa in Kenya, (16-20 November 2021).

As a reminder, the elaboration of the charter aims to meet the commitments made by local elected officials at the level of the African continent and at the international level. With regard to : The Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (2008), the principles and aspiration 6 of the African Union’s Vision 2063, 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG5: achieve gender equality by empowering women and girls by 2030; The commitments made by REFELA-UCLG Africa and CEMR with the support of UCLG, to translate the Declaration of the Abidjan Europe-Africa Forum (2017) into action, mainly on gender equality at local level in Africa. One of the conclusions of the Forum was to work to strengthen the role of women in the governance of local and regional authorities in Africa, and to develop an African Local and Regional Authorities Charter for Gender Equality.

“PLATFORMA, a project co-financed by the European Union, is the pan-European coalition of towns and regions – and the associations representing them – active in development cooperation”

For further information, please contact:

Gaëlle Yomi : Tel: + 212 610 56 71 45

E-mail:gyomi@uclga.org

Mr. Léandre Nzue, New President of UCLG Africa , Mrs. Macoura Dao, New President of REFELA

/in , , /by

The statutory meetings of UCLG Africa in Cairo held from 17 to 21 June 2019 were marked by the installation of the new President of UCLG Africa namely Mr. Léandre Nzue, Mayor of Libreville (Gabon) and the election of Mrs Macoura Dao, as President of the Network of Locally Elected Women and Territorial Leaders of Africa (REFELA).

At the opening of the 20th session of the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa on 18 June, the members received the profession of faith from Mr. Léandre Nzue, who, in his capacity as newly elected Mayor of Libreville, was installed as the new President of UCLG Africa for the period 2019 to 2021, and therefore chaired this 20th session of the Executive Committee.

During his installation, the President of UCLG Africa undertook to encourage unity and dialogue, facilitate public and private investment, foster the integration of associations of local authorities for a better management of African cities by 2021.

On June 17, the first meeting of the Bureau of the Network of Locally Elected Women and Territorial Leaders of Africa (REFELA) was held. In accordance with REFELA’s Internal Regulations, Mrs. Dao Macoura, Mayor of Foumbolo in Côte d’Ivoire, Vice President of REFELA for the West African Region, was elected President of REFELA for the period 2019-2021, replacing Mrs. Célestine Ketcha-Courtes who became a member of the Government in Cameroon.

In her speech, Mrs. Dao recalled that REFELA’s leitmotif is  to promote greater participation of women in the governance of local authorities and a better integration of women’s concerns into the policies pursued in our cities and territories;

The final press release of the statutory meetings is available here.

The final press release of the REFELA meeting is available here.

The composition of the UCLG Africa presidency is available here.

 

Press Release-Meetings of Statutory Bodies of UCLG Africa (Cairo, Egypt)

/in , /by

At the invitation of the Ministry of Local Development of the Arab Republic of Egypt, United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) held its first statutory meetings on 17 and 18 June 2019 at the Conrad Hotel in Cairo, Egypt, after the organization’s general assembly held in Marrakesh, Morocco, on 23 November 2018.

The statutory meetings of UCLG Africa included the first meeting of the Bureau of Women Elected and Leaders of Local and Subnational Governments in Africa (REFELA); and the 20th session of the Executive Committee of UCLGA Africa.

These meetings were officially opened by General Mahmoud Shaarawy, Minister of Local Development of Egypt, in the presence of General Khaled Abdel Aal, Governor of the Governorate of Cairo, and Mr Mohamed Boudra, Vice-President of UCLG Africa for the North Africa region.

The REFELA Bureau meeting reviewed and adopted the REFELA Action Plan for the period 2019-2021, focusing on its three main campaigns: the African Cities without Children on the Street Campaign; the African Cities with Zero Tolerance to All Forms of Violence against Women and Girls Campaign; and the African Cities Campaign for Women’s Economic Empowerment.

The meeting also elected a new President of REFELA in the person of Mrs Dao Macoura, Mayor of Foumbolo in Côte d’Ivoire, and Vice-President of REFELA for the West African region. Ms Macoura replaces Ms Célestine KETCHA, who has been appointed Minister of the Government of the Republic of Cameroon. The REFELA Bureau meeting also elected Mrs Mboula, épse Essame Elise Henriette, Mayor of Nkongsamba 3 Municipal District and President of the REFELA National Section in Cameroon, REFELA Vice-President for the Central African region.

The REFELA Bureau then congratulated and installed the REFELA national section in Egypt and its President, Mrs Manal Awad Mikhail, Governor, Governorate of Damietta (Egypt).

The REFELA Bureau also welcomed the proposal to include the members of the REFELA Bureau among the African candidates to be elected to the UCLG World Council at the next UCLG World Congress scheduled for 11-15 November 2019 in Durban, South Africa; and also to include the REFELA President among the African candidates to sit on the UCLG World Executive Bureau.

At the opening of the 20th session of the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa, the members first received the profession of faith from Mr Léandre Nzue, who, in his capacity as newly elected Mayor of Libreville, was installed as the new President of UCLG Africa for the period 2019 to 2021, and therefore chaired this 20th session of the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee examined the organization’s financial reports, including the execution of the budget and the audited accounts for the 2018 financial year. He also invited members to honor their membership dues obligations in order to strengthen the organization and enable it to implement its action plan. At the end of these deliberations, the members of the Executive Committee approved the accounts and discharged the Secretary General for the management of the 2018 financial year.

The members of the Executive Committee then discussed the issue of UCLG Africa’s regional offices. The Secretary General informed that with the establishment of the North Africa Regional Office (NARO) in Cairo, scheduled to open on 19 June 2019, UCLG Africa should have completed the establishment of its regional offices by the end of 2019 as initially planned; except that the Regional Office for the Central African Region, which was supposed to be operational in Yaoundé, Cameroon, since 2015, has still not materialized despite several reminders.

The members of the Executive Committee appreciated Egypt’s offer to host the North Africa Regional Office (NARO) and welcomed the proposal to inaugurate the North Africa Regional Office (NARO) on 19 June 2019.

In order to comply with the initial plan to complete the establishment of the regional offices by the end of 2019, the President proposed that the Executive Committee consider the offer of the city of Libreville to host the Regional Office for Central Africa (CARO). This proposal was unanimously approved by the Executive Committee. The UCLG Africa Regional Office for Central Africa will now be established in Libreville, Gabon, with the responsibility for the Secretary General of UCLG Africa to take the necessary steps with the Gabonese authorities to formalize and implement this decision as soon as possible.

The members of the Executive Committee then discussed two other important issues: first, the organization of the next Africities Summit to be held in 2021 in Kisumu, Kenya; and Africa’s representation in the bodies of the World Organization of UCLG for the period 2020-2022.

Regarding Africities 2021, the Governor of Kisumu County, speaking on behalf of the Kenyan delegation led by the Minister of Devolution, presented the state of preparation of the 9th edition of the Africities Summit. The Committee welcomed the progress made so far in the preparations and the offer made by the President of the AMPCC of Morocco to assist the various Kenyan teams to better prepare for the Summit if they so wish.

With regard to Africa’s representation in UCLG’s World bodies, and in accordance with the requirement that, to be eligible, any list of candidates for UCLG bodies must have at least 30 per cent women, the Executive Committee has nominated 45 candidates from Africa to sit on the UCLG World Council, and 15 candidates from Africa to sit on the UCLG World Executive Board.

The Executive Committee then deliberated on the representation of Africa at the level of the UCLG Presidency, first for the nomination of Africa’s candidate for the post of Vice President Africa of UCLG, and for the merits for Africa to stand for the post of World President of UCLG. This discussion follows the appointment of the current President of UCLG, Mr. Parks Tau as Deputy Minister in the Government of South Africa, which means that he can no longer run for a second term as World President of UCLG. However, the custom observed so far in UCLG management is that each region presides over UCLG for two successive terms. On the basis of the observed track record, the Executive Committee decided that Africa would nominate a candidate for the position of UCLG World President at the next UCLG World Congress scheduled for 11-15 November 2019 in Durban, South Africa. Consultations will continue between members to agree on the name of the African candidate for the position of Vice-President Africa of UCLG, and on the name of the African candidate for the position of World President of UCLG. These consultations should be completed in the next few weeks and no later than 15 July 2019.

Finally, the members of the Executive Committee welcomed the establishment of the Africa Territorial Agency, a financial institution designed to raise funds on the financial market to direct them towards investments within African cities and territories. In this regard, they encouraged cities and territories to subscribe to the cooperative society created for this purpose, and called on African governments to support this initiative.

The members of the Executive Committee also approved the takeover of the African Capitals of Culture program by UCLG Africa, whose first celebration will e held in Marrakesh in 2020/2021.

The members of the Executive Committee finally agreed that UCLG Africa should be involved in the Door of Our Return initiative launched by the Afro-Descendants of the Americas and asked the Secretary General to take necessary steps tp make this involvement a reality.

Within the framework and following of the meetings of UCLG Africa’s bodiesan international Conference was also organized from 18 to 20 June 2019 at the Conrad Hotel in Cairo, under the High Patronage of the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, His Excellency Mr. Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, on the theme: “African Cities: Engines of Sustainable Development”. The following collaborated in the organization of this Conference: the Ministry of Local Development of Egypt, UCLG Africa, UN Habitat, and the European Union.

This Conference was officially opened by the Prime Minister of Egypt, Dr. Mostafa Madbouli, and was attended by a large number of Ministers from the Government of Egypt; members of the Bureau of the Specialized Technical Committee of the African Union (STC 8) comprising African Ministers of Public Service, Urban Development and Housing, Decentralization and Local Governments; members of the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa and the REFELA Bureau; representatives of civil society organizations and academia; and representatives of development partners.

Attached are the conclusions of the Conference proceedings presented by the Minister of Local Development of Egypt. The final report of this Conference will be released in due course.

Cairo, 21 June 2019

The Secretary General of UCLG Africa

The conclusions of the work of the Conference available here
PDF version available here