Local Authorities

Highlights for Tuesday, 12 November 2019 The second day of the UCLG Congress 2019 continued at the Durban International Convention Centre. The United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders convened for a series of preparatory and networking meetings ahead of Wednesday’s official opening. UCLG Secretary-General, Emilia Saiz, addressed the Fourth UCLG Learning Forum, which consisted of learning interaction opportunities, providing an assessment of the state of learning within the network and recommendations to extend the reach of UCLG policies.Work under the discussion Tracks proceeded, with delegates considering, among other topics: The role of culture as a vehicle of public policy and as the fourth pillar of development, with a focus on the ULCG’s African Capital of Culture initiative; Urban equality, human rights, migration, and gender. Citizenship and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); Sustainable mobility, urban policy, diversity, finance and investment, and citizenship; and Peripheral cities and the New Urban Agenda. Gender equality featured in a number of meetings, including a special session on the future of equality “Beyond Beijing+25”, which looked forward to the sixty-fourth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW64) to be held in New York when the UN will mark the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995). Also on Tuesday, Ubuntu Advisors, Ana Falú, Argentina, and Sheela Patel, India, underlined the centrality of gender to the UCLG Congress with a shared analysis of the deep inequalities experienced by urban women and the urgency of local responses, led by women. A statement from the special session on Beijing+25 may go forward to the UN Commission on the Status of Women on Beijing+25 and Agenda 2030. 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 For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Local4Action Hub Panel speakers during the session 'The role of Agenda 2030 in creating citizenship: how can local governments use the SDGs to connect with their citizens?' (L-R): Diana Lopez, Local Government and Decentralization Unit, UN-Habitat; Johannes Krassnitzer, Director, Art-GOLD initiative, UN Development Programme (UNDP); Carla Rey, Secretary-General, Italian National Association for the European Council of Municipalities and Regions (AICCRE); Miquel Rodríguez Planas, Commissioner of the 2030 Agenda, Barcelona City Council, Spain; and Federico Poitier, Director, External Affairs and Partnerships, World Enabled. Diana Lopez, Head, Local Government and Decentralization Unit, UN-Habitat Johannes Krassnitzer, Director, Art-GOLD initiative, UNDP Local4Action Track Panel speakers during the session on 'Safe public spaces' (L-R): Puven Akkiah, eThekwini Municipality, South Africa; Debora Gambetta Paier and Barbara Holtmann, UN-Habitat; Sibongiseni Mkhize, Chief Whip, eThekwini Municipality, South Africa; and Ayanda Roji, City of Johannesburg, South Africa. Panel speakers during the session on 'Training on Sustainable Mobility' (L-R): Kim Won-Ho, Director, The Seoul Institute; José Dionisio González, International Association of Public Transport (UITP); and Quentin Champauzac, City and Eurometropolis of Strasbourg, France. Panel speakers during the 'Forum of Regions' session included (L-R): Firdaous Oussidhhoum, UCLG; Ilaria Bugetti; Councillor of Toscana Region, Italy; Mohamed Boudra, Mayor of Al Hoceima, Morocco, and President of the Moroccan Association of Communal Council of Presidents (AMPCC); María Julia Reyna, Secretary of International Relations and Integration of the Government of Santa Fe, Argentina; Fatimatou Abdel Malick, President of Nouakchott Regional Council, Mauritania; and Patrick Braouezec, President, Plaine Commune Metropolitan Region, France, and Co-Chair of the UCLG Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy, and Human Rights. Ayanda Roji, City of Johannesburg, South Africa Rasim Ari, Mayor of Nevsehir, Turkey Panel speakers for the session 'Culture Driven Public Policies' (L-R): Chae Jong Hyub, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Republic of Korea; Mariana Flores, Government of the City of Mexico, Mexico; Soham El Wardini, Mayor of Dakar, Senegal; Jean-Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General, UCLG Africa. Panel speakers for the 'Forum of Peripheral Cities' (L-R): Djamel Sandid, Coordinator, UCLG Peripheral Cities Mohamed Sefiani, Mayor of Chefchaouen, Morocco; Lia Brum, World Secretariat – Metropolis; Abdoulaye Thimbo, Mayor of Pikine, Senegal; and Patrick Braouezec, President, Plaine Commune Metropolitan Region, France, and Co-Chair of the UCLG Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy, and Human Rights. Ana María Falú and Sheela Patel, UBUNTU Advisors, speak during a session focused on gender equality. Participants speak informally between sessions. Panel speakers for the 'Is Urban Policy Working for You?' (L-R): Rafael Forero, UN-Habitat; Agustí Serra Monté, Secretary of Urban Habitat and Territory of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Spain; Ellen van Selm, Mayor of Opsterland, the Netherlands; Edgardo Bilsky, UCLG; and Nomkita Fani, Intermediate Cities and Spatial Planning, South Africa. Panel speakers during the session 'Human rights and rights to the city: what are emerging priorities for local governments?' (L-R): Annie Chrystel Limburg, Deputy Mayor of Libreville, Gabon; Patrick Braouezec, President, Plaine Commune Metropolitan Region, France, and Co-Chair of the UCLG Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy, and Human Rights; Imen Ouardani, City of Sousse, Tunisia; Fernanda Hassem, Mayor of Brasiléia, Brazil; and Nelson Fernández, Montevideo and Metropolis Regional Secretary, Argentina. Panel speakers during the session 'Partnerships for Urban Equality' (L-R): Caren Levy, University College London, UK; Anelis María Marichal González, Institute of Physical Planning, Havana, Cuba; Michele Acuto, Connected Cities Lab, University of Melbourne, Australia; and Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone. Panel speakers during the 'Forum of Intermediary Cities' (L-R): Rasim Ari, Mayor of Nevsehir, Turkey; José Manuel Ribeiro, Mayor of Valongo, Portugal; Kontxi Odriozola Eizaguirre, Barcelona Council, Spain; Carlos Martínez Mínguez, Mayor of Soria, Spain; Hassan Fateh General Directorate of Local Authorities, Morocco; Mohamed Sefiani, Mayor of Chefchaouen, Morocco; Jake Elder, Bloomberg Associates; and Joan Chicón, Terrassa, Spain. Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone Fatmata Shour, Activist, Poet, and Actor, Sierra Leone Rafael Forero, UN-Habitat, speaks during the session 'MetroHub: supporting metropolitan development worldwide.' Panel speakers for the session '#Cities4Migration: The MC2CM experience - from dialogue and knowledge to action' (L-R): Mounir Elloumi, Mayor of Sfax, Tunisia; Ümit Şahin, Deputy Mayor of Sancaktepe, Turkey; and Mohamed Boussraoui, Director of Programme, UCLG. Panel speakers for the session 'Raising national ambition on climate: the role of cities in the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and long-term emissions reduction strategies' (L-R): Adrian Fenton, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group; Jantine Kriens, CEO, Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG); Mohamed Sefiani, Mayor of Chefchaouen, Morocco, and President of UCLG Forum of Intermediary Cities; Maryke Van Staden, Director of Bonn Center for Local Climate Action and Reporting of ICLEI; Steven Bland, Climate Change and Urban Planning Consultant of UN-Habitat; and Bev Esslinger, Councillor of Edmonton, Canada, and Board Member of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Special Sessions Panel speakers during the special session focused on 'The future of equality: beyond Beijing+25' (L-R): Noraini Binti Roslan, Mayor of Subang Java, Malaysia; Rohey Malick Lowe, Mayor of Banjul, The Gambia; Thembi Nkadimeng, South African Local Government Association (SALGA); Ana María Falú, UBUNTU Advisor; Carola Gunnarsson, Vice-President, Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR); Lucy Slack, Deputy Secretary General, Commonwealth Local Governments Forum (CLGF); and Evgenia Lodvidova, Vice Mayor of Kazan, Russian Federation. Rohey Malick Lowe, Mayor of Banjul, The Gambia Roland Ries, UCLG Co-President, Senator, and Mayor of Strasbourg, France Panel speakers during the special session 'The future of mobility' (L-R): Mzwandile Masina, Executive Mayor, City of Ekurhuleni, South Africa; José Dionisio González, UITP; Esteban Galuzzi, Undersecretary for Transportation and Traffic, City of Buenos Aires; Erion Veliaj; Mayor of Tirana, Albania; Roland Ries, UCLG Co-President, Senator, and Mayor of Strasbourg, France; Annalisa Palozzo; Councillor of the Municipality of Cepagatti, Italy; Jean-Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General, UCLG Africa; Mariana Flores, Government of Mexico City, Mexico; and David Cull, Mayor of Dunedin City Council, New Zealand. Financial Management Committee Meeting Participants gather for the Financial Management Committee Meeting. Emilia Sáiz, UCLG Secretary-General Berry Vrbanovic, UCLG Treasurer UN Global Compact Steering Committee Meeting Members of the UCLG Secretariat participate in a UN Global Compact Steering Committee meeting for the City Partnership Challenge. Around the Venue Delegates arrive at the venue as the second day of the UCLG Congress continues. Delegates network between sessions.

On Thursday morning, HLPF 2018 at UN Headquarters in New York conducted thematic reviews on: Implementing the SDGs: lessons from the regions; and Perspectives of society: session organized with major groups and other stakeholders. In the afternoon, the review of SDG implementation continued, with a session on SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production). For extensive details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin. Visit our coverage of selected side events at HLPF 2018 IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, provided daily digital coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from HLPF 2018. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Thematic Review Implementing the SDGs: Lessons from the Regions Jerry Matthews Matjila, Vice-President of ECOSOC, welcomed participants to the session Vera Songwe, Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Moderator Alicia Bárcena, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Kaveh Zahedi, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Mohamed Ali Alhakim, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Olga Algayerova, Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) Tatyana Valovaya, Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Alma Sinumlag, Cordillera Women's Education and Action Research Center, and Asia-Pacific Civil Society Mechanism Alastaire Sèna Alinsato, Benin Patricio Aguirre, Chile Abdullah Abu Shawesh, State of Palestine Thematic Review: Transformation Towards Sustainable and Resilient Societies Perspectives of Society: Session Organized with Major Groups and Other Stakeholders View of the dais during the session Jolly Amatya, Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY) Moderator Luisa Emilia Reyes Zuñiga, Co-Chair of the HLPF Coordination Mechanism, and Women's Major Group Ruben Zondervan, Earth Systems Governance Project, and Science and Technology Major Group Haydée Rodriguez, Unión de Cooperativas de Mujeres Productoras Las Brumas, and  Sendai Stakeholders Berry Vrbanovic, Mayor of Kitchener, Canada, and Local Authorities Major Group Vitalice Meja, Reality of Aid Network Africa, and Financing for Development (FFD) Civil Society Group Sandra Vermuyten, Major Group of Workers and Trade Unions Verity McGivern, Stakeholder Group on Ageing Katarina Popović, Education and Academia Stakeholder Group Sarah Schönfeld, France Aashish Khullar, MGCY Review of SDG Implementation: SDG 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns Delegates listen during the session Inga Rhonda King, Vice-President of ECOSOC Peter Thomson, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean Nur H. Rahayu, Ministry of National Development Planning, Indonesia Petra Bayr, Sustainable Development Committee, Parliament of Austria Shashwat Sapkota, Statistics Division, UN DESA Jane Nyakang’o, President, African Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Moderator Elliott Harris, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development and Chief Economist, UN DESA Julius H. Cainglet, Federation of Free Workers, and Workers and Trade Unions Major Group Amy Luers, Executive Director, Future Earth Ulf Jaeckel, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Germany, and 10YFP Board Member İzzet Ari, Turkey Annika Lindblom, Finland René Castro, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Sabina Wakio Maghanga, Kenya Around the Venue Delegates between sessions Tosi Mpanu Mpanu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, speaks with a delegate Delegates speak informally A delegate reads the Earth Negotiations Bulletin to keep up to date with the meeting An exhibition by the Alliance for Responsible Denim promotes sustainable consumption and production by reminding people to consume consciously

Highlights for Thursday, 12 April 2018 India hands over the chair of the 9th 3R Forum to Thailand The final day of the Eighth Regional 3R Forum in Asia and the Pacific opened in Indore, India, with a plenary session focused on the challenges of mobilizing financing for 3R in the region, with presentations by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the World Bank, the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), and the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ).This was followed by a dialogue on public-private partnerships (PPPs) to advance 3Rs in Asia-Pacific wherein individual private sector representatives interact directly with individual country delegates for a short period of time before rotating on to the next interaction. The dialogue was organized in line with the objectives of International Partnership for Expanding Waste Management Services of Local Authorities (IPLA), a Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Partnership under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.Delegates reviewed and adopted a Chair's summary with several minor amendments. The summary adoption was followed by announcement of 3R Awards given to civil society organizations (CSOs) and industry in waste management. In a formal ceremony, it was announced that the Ninth Regional 3R Forum will be held in Chaing Mai, Thailand, at a date still to be determined, and India handed over the Chair of the Forum to Thailand.Closing remarks were offered by Yasuo Takahashi, Ministry of Environment, Japan, Birgitte Bryld, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), Durga Shanker Mishra, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), India, and Maya Singh, Minister for Urban Development, Madhya Pradesh, India.The meeting closed at 3:03 pm. Later in the afternoon participants went on field visits to see a waste transfer station, bioremediation plant and integrated solid waste processing facility. In the evening MoHUA hosted a farewell reception for delegates. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, will provide daily digital coverage and a summary report from the 8th Regional 3R Forum in Asia and the Pacific. Kindly return to this website on Monday, 9 April 2018, for more information. Photos by IISD/ENB | Sean Wu For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Plenary Session 8: Financing 3R - Domestic and International Investments View of the dais during the plenary session 8: Financing 3R - Domestic and International Investments A.S. Harinath, the World Bank Group Osamu Mizuno, Director, Asian Institute of Technology Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific Hindocha Jiten, IL&FS Environment, India Valdmir Marev, Director, International Centre for Best Environmental Technologies, the Russian Federation Plenary Session 9: Valedictory Session C.R.C. Mohanty, UNCRD, and Durga Shanker Mishra, MoHUA, India Anupam Khajuria, UNCRD, and Shun Fung Chiu, De La Salle University, The Philippines View of the valedictory session Sanjay Kumar, Joint Secretary, MoHUA, India Maya Singh, Minister for Urban Development, Madhya Pradesh, India. Civil society organizations (CSOs) and industry receiving 3R Awards Closing Session Yasuo Takahashi, Ministry of the Environment, Japan, giving closing remarks Durga Shanker Mishra, MoHUA, India, giving closing remarks Around the Venue IISD RS Team with UNDESA and UNCRD Secretariat

The second day of the 2017 meeting of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) started with a review of implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1 (no poverty) and SDG 2 (zero hunger). In the afternoon, a thematic review on “Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world: Multi-stakeholder perspectives,” took place. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage, daily reports from HLPF 2017 and also produced a summary and analysis report, which is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Session 4 - Review of implementation: SDG 1 View of the dais during the session Janet Gornick, Director, Stone Center on Socio-Economic Inequality, City University of New York (CUNY) Stefan Schweinfest, Director, Statistics Division, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Martin Ravallion, Georgetown University Yaw Ansu, African Center for Economic Transformation Carolina Sanchez-Paramo, World Bank Group Wellington Chibebe, Deputy General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Yang Zhi, Mayor of Jingzhou, China Fnu Sudarno, Indonesia Deborah Greenfield, Deputy Director-General for Policy, International Labour Organization (ILO) Huseyn Huseynov, Azerbaijan Session 5 - Review of implementation: SDG 2 Delegates raise their hands as part of an interactive discussion at the start of the session Frederick Musiiwa Makamure Shava, Permanent Representative of Zimbabwe to the UN, and President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Gerda Verburg, Coordinator, Scaling-Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement Esther Penunia, Secretary General, Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development Elizabeth Mpofu, General Coordinator, La Via Campesina, Zimbabwe Patrick Caron, Chair, High-Level Panel of Experts of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) Meena Bilgi, Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture and Natural Resources Management (WOCAN) Eugenio Diaz-Bonilla, Head, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Franco Ruggiero, Argentina Alastaire Sèna Alinsato, Benin Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Session 6 - Thematic review - Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world: Multi-stakeholder perspectives View of the keynote speakers on the dais Luisa Emilia Reyes Zuñiga, Co-Chair, Major Groups and other Stakeholders (MGoS) HLPF Coordination Mechanism Jürgen Schulz, Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to the UN, and Vice President of ECOSOC Moderator Maruxa Cardama, Cities Alliance Wu Hongbo, UN Under-Secretary-General, DESA Sehnaz Kiymaz, President, Women for Women’s Human Rights - New Ways, and Women’s Major Group Luis Miguel Etchevehere, President, Sociedad Rural Argentina (SRA), and Farmers' Major Group Verity McGivern, HelpAge International, and Stakeholder Group on Ageing Louise Kantrow, Permanent Representative to the UN, International Chamber of Commerce, and Business and Industry Major Group Katarina Popovic, Secretary General, International Council for Adult Education (ICAE), and Education and Academia Stakeholder Group Roberto Bissio, Social Watch, and Financing for Development Civil Society Group Moderator Naiara Costa, Together 2030 José Maria Viera, International Disability Alliance, and Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities Jan Van Zanen, Mayor of Utrecht, President of the Association of Dutch Municipalities, and Local Authorities Major Group James O'Brien, Volunteer Groups  Rosalea Hamilton, Founder and President, Institute for Law and Economics, University of Technology, Jamaica, and NGO Major Group Keikabile Mogodu, Indigenous Peoples Major Group Saúl Zenteno Bueno, President, Fundación Manatí para el Fomento de la Ciudadanía, and Major Group for Children and Youth John Patrick Ngoyi, World Vision, on behalf of Together 2030 Around the Venue Delegates between sessions Representatives of the Women's Major Group gather to respect, protect, and promote the work done by women's human rights defenders Around the UN Headquarters