News

The 2nd Edition of UCLG’s Triennial Global Report on Decentralization and Local Democracy (GOLD II) will be focus on exploring the situation of local government finance across the globe. The Report, set for publication in time to be presented this November at UCLG’s III Congress in Mexico ... + info

The 2nd Edition of UCLG’s Triennial Global Report on Decentralization and Local Democracy (GOLD II) will be focus on exploring the situation of local government finance across the globe. The Report, set for publication in time to be presented this November at UCLG’s III Congress in Mexico City, will set out the advances and setbacks as well as the challenges and ways forward to strengthen the financial position of local governments in the view of improving service provision, within a regional framework.

To ensure that the final text reflects the views of local government in the regions, the draft chapters are currently being debated in a series of area-based workshops.

This process, launched during UCLG’s World Council last November in Guangzhou, China, has now brought experts and practitioners together in workshops held in San Salvador (El Salvador), Moscow (Russia) and Istanbul (Turkey).

The next workshop in this series will hosted by the town of Sceaux (France) on March 31st, where the European draft chapter will be reviewed.
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At the invitation of  Mayor Richard Daley, the Executive Bureau of UCLG will meet in Chicago, USA, on 26-27 April 2010, in conjunction with the Global Cities Daley Forum, and in the presence of the President of UCLG and Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë.

On the agenda of these ... + info

At the invitation of  Mayor Richard Daley, the Executive Bureau of UCLG will meet in Chicago, USA, on 26-27 April 2010, in conjunction with the Global Cities Daley Forum, and in the presence of the President of UCLG and Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë.

On the agenda of these meetings  will be : the role of local governments in the reconstruction of cities in Haiti, the strategy of local and regional authorities  in the preparation of the UN General Assembly review of the Millennium Development Goals, and the preparation of Conference of Parties 16 on Climate Change in Cancun, the issues of urban strategic planning and of the Agenda 21 on Culture.

On  the occasion of this Executive Bureau, Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Mayor of Mexico, will present the 3rd Congress of UCLG and  the Local and Regional World Summit that his city will welcome 17-20 November 2010.

UCLG will also hold its Extraordinary General Assembly on 26 April.

Know more about the Richard J. Daley Forum
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and recommend the instant allocation of concrete finances for local authorities.

Press release

New York, 31st of March 2010. UCLG, through its Vice President, Gerald Tremblay, Mayor of Montreal, has made heard the demands of Haitian local authorities ... + info

and recommend the instant allocation of concrete finances for local authorities.

Press release

New York, 31st of March 2010. UCLG, through its Vice President, Gerald Tremblay, Mayor of Montreal, has made heard the demands of Haitian local authorities and of local authorities across the world at the United Nations Haiti Donors’ Conference. 

Upon hearing of the tragedy which struck Haiti, local and regional authorities mobilized to assist their Haitian colleagues, ready to contribute to the reconstruction process.

Local authorities the world over, through United Cities and Local Governments, have already conveyed to the UN and the World Bank the importance of including a local government component in the reconstruction plans for Haiti. Local government experience in reconstruction following crises such as the Asian Tsunami and the war in Kosovo, have shown that reinforced local governance can be decisive for success.

The reconstruction of Haiti must begin with the reconstruction of Haitian towns. The essential role of local authorities must therefore be recognized and feature as a central consideration in the decisions taken for Haiti. Any action for Haiti should be based on the needs and expectations voiced by Haitians themselves and by their representatives at all levels of government.

It was with this objective that Charles Pierre, Mayor of Fort-Liberté and President of the National Federation of Haitian Mayors, entreated that Haitian local authorities be granted the necessary means to act. He further stressed the urgent need to swiftly return Haitian children to education.

Gerald Tremblay presented concrete local government demands which had been developed at the International Conference of Towns and Regions for Haiti, convened by the French Government on 23rd of March in Fort-de-France, Martinique, focusing on:

- De-concentration of State services to facilitate the re-establishment of essential services

- Creation on the ground of a task force, and at the initiative of UCLG, a platform for decentralized cooperation

- Development of the powers of local authorities to create jobs, to invest in human resources and to plan their development

- Establishment of financial resources to enable local authorities to carry out assistance in Haiti

Other speakers, in particular Bill Clinton, United Nations Special Envoy to Haiti, and Catherine Ashton, High Representative of European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, showed the strong consensus placing decentralization at the heart of the plan for development to be followed by the government of Haiti.

 

 

 
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Lors d’une conférence de presse, le jeudi 25 mars, Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Chef du Gouvernement du District Fédéral de Mexico, a annoncé l’accueil par sa ville, en novembre prochain, du 3ème Congrès de Cités et Gouvernements Locaux Unis, ... + info

Lors d’une conférence de presse, le jeudi 25 mars, Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Chef du Gouvernement du District Fédéral de Mexico, a annoncé l’accueil par sa ville, en novembre prochain, du 3ème Congrès de Cités et Gouvernements Locaux Unis, Sommet Mondial 2010 des Dirigeants Locaux et Régionaux.

"Nous espérons accueillir plus de 2000 Maires et Présidents de collectivités locales, a-t-il déclaré, qui viendront parler de la crise économique, du changement climatique, des perspectives pour leurs villes et régions à l’horizon 2030."

Elisabeth Gateau, Secrétaire Générale de CGLU et qui participait à la conférence de presse, a remercié M. Ebrard de permettre ainsi à plusieurs milliers de responsables municipaux et régionaux de venir découvrir le centre historique de la ville de Mexico et de débattre, entre eux et avec leurs partenaires, de thématiques essentielles pour leurs concitoyens.

Davantage d’informations sur le site de préparation du Congrès.
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Press release

Barcelona, 29^th March. United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), representing its local government members, praises the quality of the debates held throughout the 5th World Urban Forum, organized by UN-Habitat, which drew to a ... + info

Press release

Barcelona, 29^th March. United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), representing its local government members, praises the quality of the debates held throughout the 5th World Urban Forum, organized by UN-Habitat, which drew to a close on 27th of March.

UCLG is pleased to observe that the point of view of international institutions and experts has undergone fundamental evolution: urban areas are no longer considered a problem which needs to be solved but as the source from which to draw solutions.

This change of perspective is clearly visible in the World Bank’s Urban Strategy, to whose definition UCLG has contributed. It is to some extent confirmed by initiatives launched in Rio, in particular the UN-Habitat World Urban Campaign, in whose steering committee UCLG has participated, and in the agreement reached on the establishment of a common method for cities to assess their CO² emissions. UCLG and its members will contribute actively to achieving the aims set out, building on their existing local government networks.

The World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders - III UCLG World Congress, in Mexico City, 17-20 November, will be the occasion on which local government leaders from across the world affirm the contribution of cities and urban areas to creating a better world.

Working together and in concertation, they will address the global political issues on which governance and local decisionmaking can have a positive influence. The Summit will also be the moment to take a critical look at the projects carried out at the global governance level and to contribute ideas on their implementation and interest.

 

About UCLG. Founded in May 2004, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) is the united voice and world advocate of democratic local self-government. Based in Barcelona, UCLG is the largest local government organization in the world. Representing over half the world’s population, the cities and association members of UCLG are present in 136 UN Member States across seven world regions - Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Eurasia, Middle East and West Asia, Latin America and North America. Over 1000 cities are direct members of United Cities and Local Governments, as well as 112 national associations which represent all the cities and local governments in a single country.

 

Contact:

Thibaut NANCY, t.nancy@cities-localgovernments.org

+ 34 93 342 87 50

www.cities-localgovernments.org

 
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United Cities and Local Governments is attending High Level Event on South-South Cooperation and Capacity Development in Bogota, Colombia, 23 to 26 March.

Gathering around 400 representatives of governments, international organizations and civil society, the Event is organized with the ... + info

United Cities and Local Governments is attending High Level Event on South-South Cooperation and Capacity Development in Bogota, Colombia, 23 to 26 March.

Gathering around 400 representatives of governments, international organizations and civil society, the Event is organized with the support of the OCED, the UNDP and the World Bank.

On the occasion of these days the United Nations Forum of Consultative Council for Development Cooperation will also be meeting to discuss the role of the Forum in the United Nations Summit on the Millennium Development Goals (September, New York). UCLG is actively implicated in the preparation of this summit as a member of the Advisory Task Force for the President of the General Assembly for the United Nations.

Official Site of the High Level Event



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