Local and Regional Governments of the World Consolidate their Role Worldwide

From 11 to 15 November, 2019, the South African city of Durban hosted the World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders. The objective of this meeting was to renew the commitments and define the agenda of local and regional governments for the coming years in order to contribute to international processes and ensure a better future for everyone. More than 3000 people gathered, including leaders and representatives of local, regional and national governments as well as representatives of academia, civil society and companies.

Within this framework, the sixth edition of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) Congress also took place. This Congress, which takes place every three years, was an important moment for the world organization as the new presidency was constituted for the period 2019-2022. In this regard, Mr. Mohamed Boudra, mayor of Al Hoceima, Morocco, and president of the Moroccan Association of Community Council Presidents (AMPCC) was elected as the new UCLG President.

Some of the highlights of this Summit include the launch of the 5th World Report on Decentralization and Local Democracy, better known as the GOLD Report, the second edition of the UCLG Peace Prize, whose winning city was Arsal, Lebanon, or the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments, among many others. As a result of these Summits, the Durban political declaration was approved, focusing on the necessary transformation that must be carried out in our development model to achieve fair equitable and sustainable development.