Highlights for Friday, 15 November 2019
Mohamed Boudra, Mayor of Al Hoceima, Morocco (left), is elected as the new President of the UCLG, with Ilsur Metshin, Mayor of Kazan, Russian Federation (right), elected as Chairperson of the UN Advisory Committee of Local Authorities (UNACLA).
The United Cities and Local Congress World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders closed on Friday evening, 15 November, by electing Mohamed Boudra, Mayor of Al Hoceima, Morocco, and President of the Moroccan Association of Communal Council of Presidents (AMPCC), to lead a new collegiate presidency of co-presidents, treasurers, and special envoys. The newly elected presidency and officers are: President: Mohamed Boudra, Mayor of Al Hoceima, Morocco; Chair of the UN Advisory Committee for Local Authorities: Ilsur Metshin, Mayor of Kazan, Russian Federation; Co-Presidents: Johnny Araya, Mayor of San José, Costa Rica; Uğur İbrahim Altay, Mayor of Konya, Turkey; Jan Van Zanen, Mayor of Utrecht, the Netherlands; Li Mingyuan, Mayor of Xi’an, China; Thembisile Nkadimeng, Mayor of Polokwane, South Africa; Treasurers: Madelaine Alfelor-Gazman, Mayor of Iriga, the Philippines; Berry Vrbanovic, Mayor of Kitchener, Canada; and Special Envoys: Ada Colau, Mayor of Barcelona, Spain; Special Envoy to the UN; Fernando Medina, Mayor of Lisbon, Portugal, Special Envoy for Local Development. In his inaugural speech, Boudra said he was honored to be at the helm of UCLG, thanking all who had supported his election, especially the UCLG-Africa section. He said the UCLG stood ready to stand with partners and interlocutors on the sustainable development agenda.Reflecting on an insightful and inspiring journey, Mpho Parks Tau, outgoing UCLG President, expressed his gratitude to the municipal movement. He noted that the three-year legacy would strengthen the world organization, make it more visible on the international arena with localization at its core.The final day of the Summit provided an opportunity for convening the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments, which acts as the main political voice of the world organization. The Assembly received a comprehensive series of recommendations from the Town Hall and Assembly Tracks and adopted a Political Declaration.The main outcomes of the meeting are the Durban Political Declaration - Envisioning the Future of Our Renewed International Municipal Movement, and the Outcome Document of the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments. These policy outcomes will shape the upcoming actions of the ULCG as it advances a local and regional perspective and increasingly shapes the global multilateral agenda.On the immediate horizon will be the organization’s role in shaping the world’s development agenda by contributing to preparations for the 64th session of the Commission on the Status of Women/Beijing+25 and the UN 75th anniversary events that will include input on the perspective of local governments on the future of the global multilateral agenda.The World Summit brought together more than 3000 local and regional leaders and other stakeholders at the International Conference Centre in eThekwini-Durban.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and daily reports from the #UCLGCongress Durban 2019. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary report from the Congress, which is now available in HTML and PDF.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth
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World Council
View of the dais during the World Council.
Mpho Parks Tau, outgoing UCLG President
Carola Gunnarsson, Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions
Heo Tae-jeong, Mayor of Daejeon, Republic of Korea
Claudio Sule Fernández, City Association, Chile
Daejeon, Republic of Korea, is announced as the host for UCLG 2022.
Mohamed Boudra, newly elected UCLG President
Mpho Parks Tau, outgoing UCLG President, congratulates Mohamed Boudra on his election
Family photo of the newly elected Presidency.
World Assembly
Emilia Sáiz, UCLG Secretary-General, opens the World Assembly.
Mpho Moruakgomo, Chairman, Commonwealth Local Government Forum Board
Laia Bonet, Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, Spain, and Co-President of Metropolis
Panel speakers during the session 'Challenges and priorities: the quest of local and regional governments (LRG) in the current context' (L-R): Gunn Marit Helgesen, President, Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Governments; Sami Kanaan, Mayor of Geneva, Switzerland; Souad Abderrahim, Mayor of Tunis, Tunisia; Kobie Brand, ICLEI Regional Director for Africa; Hannes Lagrelius, World Blind Union; Violet Shivutse, Chair of Governing Council, Huairou Commission; and Madelaine Yorobe, Mayor of Iriga, the Philippines.
Panel speakers during the session 'Driving policy innovation from the bottom-up' (L-R): Patrick Klugman, Deputy Mayor of Paris, France; Rohey Malick Lowe, Mayor of Banjul, The Gambia; Nelson Saule Junior, Polis Institute, and Global Platform for the Right to the City (GPR2C); Greg Munro, Secretary-General, Commonwealth Local Government Forum; Núria Marín, Barcelona Provincial Council, Spain; David Cull, Mayor of Dunedin, President of Local Government, New Zealand; Billy Cobbett, Director, Cities Alliance; and Armand Béouindé, Mayor of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Vera Galushko, Mayor of Krasnodar, Russian Federation
Hannes Lagrelius, World Blind Union
Panel speakers during the session 'Leading the local-global coalition towards the implementation decade' (L-R): Mohamed Sefiani, Mayor of Chefchaouen, Morocco; Manuel de Araújo, Mayor of Quelimane, Mozambique; Vera Galushko, Mayor of Krasnodar, Russian Federation; Noraini Roslan, Mayor of Subang Jaya, Malaysia; Octavi de la Varga Mas, Secretary-General, Metropolis; and Maria Soledad Cisternas Reyes, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Disability and Accessibility.
Intergenerational Dialogue for Peace and Solidarity
Panel speakers during the 'Intergenerational dialogue for peace and solidarity': Mariam Iddrisu, Mayor of Sagnarigu Municipality, Ghana, and Vice-President, Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA-West Africa); Imen Ouardani, City of Sousse, Tunisia; Prisca Amponsah, Student of Law, University of Ghana; Johnny Araya Monge, Mayor of San José, Costa Rica; Sofia Moschin, Italian Youth Delegate; Vasu Gounden, Executive Director, African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD); Tamires Gomes Sampaio, Director, Lula Institute, Brazil; Aníbal Gavíria Correa, President of the Assembly, Cities Alliance; Jan van Zanen, Mayor of Utrecht, and President of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities; Aisen Nikolaev, Head, Sakha Republic, Russian Federation; and Raghav Ranganathan, Organisational Development and Conflict Engagement, India.
Prisca Amponsah, Student of Law, University of Ghana
Tamires Gomes Sampaio, Director, Lula Institute, Brazil
Aisen Nikolaev, Head, Sakha Republic, Russian Federation
Jan van Zanen, Mayor of Utrecht, and President of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities
UCLG Peace Prize Award Ceremony
Ton Rombouts, Senator of the Netherlands, and Ambassador of the UCLG Peace Prize, presented the awards, which celebrates successful initiatives undertaken by local governments in ensuring sustainable and peaceful development.
Bassel Al-Hujairy, Mayor of Arsal Municipality, Lebanon (far left), is awarded the prize.
All finalists are given a token of appreciation for their efforts in encouraging peace.
Local4Action Track
Participants attend the session 'Local government associations 2.0 - ready for the future.'
Panel speakers during the session 'Peace initiatives: inspiration from the UCLG Peace Prize finalists.'
Local4Action Hub
Panel speakers during the session 'Digital networking for sustainable urban development' (L-R): Sara Hoeflich, UCLG Learning; Octavi de la Varga, Secretary-General, Metropolis; Kate Joseph, City of Johannesburg, South Africa; and Thomas Honeck, Berlin Senate Chancellery.
Closing Plenary
Emilia Sáiz, UCLG Secretary-General, Mpho Parks Tau, outgoing UCLG President, Mohamed Boudra, newly elected UCLG President, Thembisile Nkadimeng, South African Local Government Association (SALGA), and Mxolisi Kaunda, Executive Mayor eThekwini Municipality, South Africa, stand while the South African national anthem is played during the closing celermony.
The South African acapella group, The Legacy, performs at the closing ceremony.
Around the Venue
Emilia Sáiz, UCLG Secretary-General, Mariam Iddrisu, Mayor of Sagnarigu Municipality, Ghana, and Vice-President, Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA-West Africa), Thembisile Nkadimeng, SALGA, and Rohey Malick Lowe, Mayor of Banjul, The Gambia, give a thumbs up for the empowerment of women.
Delegates between sessions.
Participants speak informally.
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Earth Negotiaions Bulletin+ (ENB+) team covering UCLG Congress 2019: Asheline Appleton, Kenya; Simon Høiberg Olsen, Denmark/Japan; Annelies van Gaalen, South Africa; Peter Doran, Ireland; Wangu Mwangi, Kenya; and Kiara Worth, South Africa.
