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The 6th edition of the African Forum of Territorial Managers and Training Institutes targeting Territorial Communities (FAMI 6_2022) opened its work in the city of Agadir, on Monday, November 28 at the Training Center of the School of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Ibn Zohr University, and will continue until Saturday, December 03, 2022.
The Forum is organized by the Pan-African Organization of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa), through its African Local Government Academy (ALGA), in partnership and with the support of the European Commission, the Directorate General of Local Authorities of the Ministry of the Interior of Morocco, the Souss-Massa Region, the Prefectural Council of Agadir Ida-Outanane, the Ibn Zohr University and the Training Center of the School of Medicine and Pharmacy of Agadir, the Provincial Council of Tiznit, the Provincial Council of Taroudant, the Municipal Council of Agadir, the National Agency for the Development of Oasis and Argan Zones (ANDZOA), the national associations of Local and Regional Governments of Morocco (ARM, AMPCPP, AMPCC), the ADEME energy management agency of France, the 4Cs-Morocco Center, the Office of the United Nations Project on Governance, Directorate of Public Institutions, and Digital Governance (DIPGD), and the Department of United Nations Economic and Social Affairs (UNPOG/DPIDG/UN DESA).
The organizers of the Forum have chosen as the theme for this edition, which is being held one week after the closing of COP27: “The challenge of training and building the capacities of Local Elected Officials and of Local Government Staff in Africa in terms of Climate Action”.
It is a week that promises to be fruitful on a scientific and academic level, through several segments: four Plenary Sessions on issues related to climate action, around fifteen Workshops and Master classes, as well as field visits to inquire about transformational projects and cultural heritage as a vector of peace and development.
These are so many opportunities for discussion, sharing, peer learning, awareness, training, and capacity building.
About 40 countries are represented at the Forum, including 33 African countries, with a strong presence of representatives of Governments, Local Governments, International Organizations, Territorial Managers, representatives of training institutions, as well as representatives from the private sector and civil society.
The opening ceremony was moderated by Dr. Najat ZARROUK, Director of Development and of the African Local Government Academy (ALGA) of UCLG Africa, member of the Committee of Experts on Public Administration of the United Nations and President of the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA), representing Mr. Jean Pierre ELONG MBASSI, Secretary General of UCLG Africa.
This ceremony was marked:
On the one hand, by the opening speech of the Forum on behalf of The Honorable Mrs. Fatimetou MINT ABDEL MALICK, President of UCLG Africa, President of the Permanent Gender Committee of UCLG, President of the Region of Nouakchott, Mauritania; her speech was read by The Honorable Mrs. Jeannette NYIRAMASENGESHO, President of the Rwandan Association of Local Authorities (RALGA) of Rwanda, President of the Ngororero District Council of the Western Province, President of the Association of Local Governments of East Africa.
Mrs. Fatimetou MINT ABDEL MALICK declared: "Today, we have come here to amplify the role of African local governments as the most appropriate level of governance for the implementation of the Climate Agenda", and affirmed that “UCLG Africa remains committed and resolved to accompany and support its members and networks in the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), in access to climate finance and more particularly to the Green Climate Fund, as well as in the implementation of an awareness-raising, training and capacity-building and technical assistance program for their benefit, in order to enable them to develop climate plans and prepare applications that are eligible for funding by the Green Climate Fund.» ;
On the other hand, the opening speeches of the Partners of UCLG Africa, in particular that of the Honorable Mr. Karim ACHENGLI, President of the Council of the Souss-Massa Region, the Honorable Mr. Abdellah MESSAOUDI, President of the Prefectural Council of Agadir-Ida-Outanane, of the Honorable Mr. Abdelghani BOUAICHI, Vice-President of the Communal Council of Agadir, of the Honorable Mr. Lahcen AMROUCH, President of the Communal Council of Argana, Vice-President of the Provincial Council of Taroudant and Vice-Treasurer of the Moroccan Association of Presidents of Communal Councils (AMPCC), the Honorable Professor Abdelaziz BENDOU, President of Ibn Zohr University, as well as Mrs. Khadija SAMI , Regional Director of the Environment, representing the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development.
The various Partners were unanimous in thanking UCLG Africa for holding this 6th edition in the Souss-Massa Region around a theme that is of paramount importance because, in the words of the President of the Council of the Souss-Massa Region, Massa, this Region, aware of “the importance of the challenges of climate change and population growth, as well as of the strong pressure on natural resources, in particular water, got involved very early in the Climate Agenda.”
The President of the Prefectural Council of Agadir-Ida-Outanane affirmed the commitment of this Local Government, adding that its participation "is also part of the efforts of the Kingdom of Morocco under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI – May God Assist him – aimed at strengthening partnership and cooperation among the countries and peoples of African countries”.
For the Municipality of Agadir, "this meeting is an opportunity to reaffirm the commitment of the Municipality of Agadir in terms of environmental management in favor of the climate".
As for the Representative of the AMPCC, he said he was “delighted with the fruitful cooperation with UCLG Africa”, affirming that the future is promising for these two institutions to jointly carry out actions that produce added value for the Territorial Communities.
The Representative of the AMPCC added: "To carry out territorial development actions as well as possible, we must have well-trained and initiated territorial managers, and I am convinced that during these days of training in this beautiful city of Morocco, you will improve your skills, because ALGA is known for its training courses which are very useful for territorial development operators”.
The President of Ibn Zohr University, who has made available to UCLG Africa and its Academy, the Training Center of the School of Medicine and Pharmacy with all its facilities, welcomed the delegations who made the trip to Agadir, before listing the important questions to be raised for “the good of African citizens”: “How to produce without harming the environment?
How to produce clean energy?
In collaboration with local partners, there is innovation in agriculture, with young people carrying out important research work.
»
The Representative of the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, who spoke last to leave the voice and priority to Local Authorities as privileged actors in Climate Action, expressed her sincere thanks to the organizers of the Forum for the choice of such a "strategic and priority" theme,", underlining that "Morocco has committed itself in a proactive manner and in perfect harmony with the international and regional effort in terms of climate action.
Despite its very low contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, Morocco has already put itself on the path to decarbonization ”.
The opening ceremony of the FAMI_6 forum was crowned by a video message addressed to the participants by the Honorable the Director and Regional Representative of the African Office of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Mr. Frank TURYATUNGA, who noted that “ While Africa's ratification rate is impressive, up to 72% of NDCs lack an investment plan, which is essential for attracting the implementation capacity of local and international companies ”.
- A Plenary Session dedicated to keynote speakers who recalled the main challenges of Climate Action and shared innovations in this area:
The Honorable Mrs. Jeannette NYIRAMASENGESHO, President of RALGA who shared her country's experience and highlighted the role of Local and Subnational Governments in the fight against Climate Change;
The Honorable Mr. Brahim HAFIDI, Director General of the National Agency for the Development of Oasis and Argan Zones (ANDZOA), Morocco;
The Honorable Mr. Didier DOGLEY, former Minister of the Environment, Senior Expert in Sustainable Development and Climate Change, Seychelles;
Professor Linda J.
BILMES, Professor at Harvard University, Member of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Public Administration, USA;
The Honorable Mr. Mohamed SEFIANI, President of the Communal Council of Chefchaouen, UCLG Special Envoy to the United Nations for Food Systems, Morocco;
The Honorable Ms. Rola Dashti, Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) .
- A second Plenary Session entitled " Where are we in terms of Implementation and Territorialization of Global and African Commitments on Climate Action: Focus on the Main Results of COP27" was moderated by Mrs. Rajae CHAFIL, Director General of the 4C-Morocco Center, and Mr. Mohammed NBOU, Director of the Climate Task Force of UCLG Africa.
FAMI 6_2022 will also have a Training of Trainers Session on Climate Action, in partnership with the ADEME energy management agency of France, in which 28 people participate during four days of training which will be led by Expert Trainers from Benin and Cameroon.
Participants will also be able to visit, at their choice, the City of Agadir, the City of Tiznit, and the City of Taroudant, to inquire about transformational projects and cultural heritage.
The Forum Program will be crowned by the planting of trees, by the African Delegations, in a school in the City of Agadir, in partnership and with the support of the National Agency for the Development of Oasis Zones and the Argan Tree (ANDZOA).
Photos Day1: http://bit.ly/3XN4c8g
Video Best of Day 1: https://bit.ly/3gOKJU4
From 28 November to 03 December 2022, United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) (http://www.UCLGA.org), through its African Local Government Academy (ALGA) and its Partners, are organizing the 6th edition of the African Forum of Territorial Managers and Training Institutes targeting Local Governments (FAMI 6_2022).
This meeting marks the contribution of UCLG Africa to the United Nations Decade of Action and will be held in Agadir, at the Training Center of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ibn Zohr University.
The FAMI 6_2022 is organized in partnership with the General Directorate of Territorial Collectivities (DGCT) of the Ministry of Interior of Morocco, the Souss-Massa Region, the Prefectural Council of Agadir-Ida Outanane, the Communal Council of Agadir, the Provincial Council of Tiznit as well as the University IBN ZOHR, with the support of the different National Associations of Local Authorities of Morocco (ARM, AMPCPP, AMPCC), and the UCLG Africa Partners Network.
Scheduled one week after the closure of the work and negotiations of the COP 27, the theme chosen for this 6th edition is: "The challenge of training and capacity building of Local Elected Officials and Staff of African Local Governments in Climate Action".
This 6th edition will be an opportunity to present, discuss and provide answers to the various issues related to the challenges of training and capacity building of local elected officials and local government executives in Africa in terms of climate action.
While the impacts of climate change concern and challenge the entire planet, and while they may differ greatly from one region to another, everyone on this planet has a role to play in climate action (States, Governments, local authorities, the private sector, civil society, NGOs, donors, etc.).
With regard to the African continent in particular, its vulnerability to climate change, aggravated by rampant urbanization, is due to a series of factors, including low adaptive capacity, high dependence on ecosystem goods for livelihoods and less developed agricultural production systems.
Adaptation is also essentially a territorial and local issue.
Territorialization of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) is therefore essential to ensure that adaptation measures have an impact on the ground, benefiting populations and territories.
In this regard, sub-national and local governments should be recognized as key actors in the design and implementation of climate change adaptation measures.
They should also be the main beneficiaries of the financial resources allocated to adaptation action plans.
In this context, UCLG Africa has engaged with the Region of Souss-Massa and the Municipality of Agadir of Morocco in an ambitious pilot program of territorialization of nationally determined contributions in Morocco, funded through the Readiness programme of the Green Climate Fund, currently being implemented.
The FAMI 6 will be an opportunity to highlight this good practice and share it with other African local authorities that will be mobilized to participate in the Forum.
The FAMI 6 will be marked by a series of activities aiming at:
- Learning and exchanging on the conclusions of the COP27 with a focus on the gains for African Local Governments;
- Situating the main actors and stakeholders involved in the process of training and capacity building in climate matters targeting African Local Governments;
- Exchanging on the main challenges and needs in this field;
- Raising awareness, training and empowering local governments on climate financing opportunities;
- Training trainers in climate action in partnership with the ADEME Agency;
- Highlighting good practices and successful experiences in climate action;
- Identifying key funding opportunities for training and capacity building, etc.
The following are expected to attend this meeting: representatives of Governments, Local Authorities, Local Elected Officials, International Organizations, Territorial Managers, Representatives of Training Institutions, as well as representatives of the Private Sector and the Civil Society.
The opening ceremony will be attended by senior officials representing the Forum's organizing institutions, including:
- Honorable Mrs. Fatimetou ABDEL MALICK, President of UCLG Africa, President of the Gender Standing Committee of UCLG, President of the Region of Nouakchott, Mauritania.
- Honorable Mr. Karim ACHENGLI, President of the Council of the Souss-Massa Region, Morocco.
- Honorable Mr. Abdelaziz BENDOU, President of the University Ibn Zohr, Morocco.
- Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG Africa.
The media is invited to cover the opening ceremony scheduled for Monday, November 28, 2022 at 13:00 at the Grand Auditorium of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Training Center, Agadir.
On October 31, 2022, the Constituent Assembly of the Network of Local Elected Youth of Africa of its acronym “YELO” was held in Tangier.
32 Young Local Elected from Africa representing 24 countries from the five regions of the continent participated in the work of this assembly, whose main objective was the election of the leaders of the governing bodies of YELO.
The meeting was officially opened by speeches by: Mr. Mounir Laymouri, President of the Tangier Communal Council and President of the Moroccan Association of Presidents of Communal Councils (AMPCC) and Mr. Abdelilah Idrissi Bouzidi, Vice President of the Moroccan Association of Presidents of Communal Councils (AMPCC).
"Tangier has always been a place that marks the foundation and the main initiatives taken by United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa), with the aim of strengthening the participation of local elected officials in the development process of Africa, and the development of mechanisms to improve communication, cooperation and solidarity of local elected officials to achieve the desired objectives.In fact, it is here in Tangier, where we witnessed the birth of the Network of Local Elected Women of Africa (REFELA) in 2011.
Today we meet again in Tangier for this constitutive General Assembly of the Network of Locally Elected Youth of Africa (YELO)", said the President of the AMPCC, Mr. Mounir Laymouri.
This opening ceremony was followed by an exchange between YELO members and the Secretary General of UCLG Africa In a frank debate with the young local elected representatives present, Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG Africa, invited the new generation to do better than their elders.
Both on climate issues, economic integration and the elimination of borders to promote the emergence of a united Africa.
The meeting then focused on the election of the leaders of the YELO governing bodies, namely the 45-member YELO Pan-African Council (9 members for each of the 5 African regions); the 15 members of the YELO Bureau (3 from each of the 5 African regions); and the 5 members of the YELO Presidency (1 Vice President for each of the 5 African regions) The following members were elected to the YELO Presidency: 1.
City of Dakhla, Morocco, represented by its Mayor Mr. Hormatallah ERRAGHEB, Vice President of YELO for North Africa 2.
Local Government of Lere, Nigeria, represented by its President, Mr. Buba Abubakar, Vice President of YELO for West Africa 3.
City of Owendo, Gabon, represented by its Mayor, Ms. Antoinette De London ATAYI MEPAS, YELO Vice President for Central Africa 4.
Hima Council, Uganda, represented by its Mayor, Mrs. Hilda Maate BUSINGE, YELO Vice President for East Africa 5.
Chipata City, Zambia, represented by its Mayor, Mr. George MWANZA, YELO Vice President for East Africa Africa.
Unanimously, the members of the YELO Presidency appointed Mr. Hormatallah ERRAGHEB, Mayor of Dakhla in Morocco, as the first YELO President for a 3-year term.
The first elected president of the Network promised to demonstrate and implement collaborative governance to carry the voice of the new generation high.
“Thank you for his trust, I see myself as coordinator of the new YELO presidency.
Starting today, we will talk about the future of Africa by integrating the vision of youth at the grassroots”, said Hormatallah ERRAGHEB.
On November 1-2, 2022, the Executive Committee and the Pan-African Council of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA Africa) (http://www.UCLGA.org) will meet in ordinary sessions in Tangier, Morocco.
These two meetings will be preceded on Monday, October 31, 2022, by the Constituent Assembly of the Network of Locally Elected Youth of Africa (YELO).
The 28th session of the Executive Committee will be held on November 1, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at the Hotel Barceló in Tangier and will focus on the adoption of the 2023-2024 work plan and the 2023 budget of UCLG Africa.
Committee members will also discuss preparations for the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) scheduled for November 6-18, 2022 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
The official opening of the 28th session of the Executive Committee will take place in the presence of: - Ms. Fatimetou Abdel Malick, President of the Nouakchott Region (Mauritania) and President of UCLG Africa, - Mr. Mounir Lymouri, President of the Municipal Council of Tangier and President of the Moroccan Association of Presidents of Municipal Councils (AMPCC); - Ms. Christine Mba Ndutume, Mayor of Libreville (Gabon) and Vice President of UCLG Africa for the Central African Region; - Mr. Claude Paulin Danho, Minister of Youth and Sports, President of the Union of Cities and Municipalities of the Ivory Coast (UVICOCI) and Vice President of UCLG Africa for the West African Region; - Ms. Florah Mpetsane, President of the Botswana Local Authorities Association (BALA) and Vice President of UCLG Africa for the Southern Africa Region; - Ms. Rohey Malick Lowe, Mayor of Banjul (Gambia), and President of the Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA); - Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG Africa.
The Pan-African Council in charge of supervising the work of UCLG Africa between the ordinary sessions of the organization's General Assembly will meet on November 2, 2022 at 9 a.m. still at the Barceló hotel in Tangier.
In particular, the Pan-African Council will provide the opportunity to take stock of Africa's participation in the UCLG World Congress that took place from October 10 to 14, 2022 in Daejeon, South Korea, and draw the consequences for UCLG Africa.
The members of the Pan-African Council will also receive information on the progress made by UCLG Africa after the successful organization of the 9th edition of the Africities Summit last May 2022 in Kisumu, Kenya.
In addition, it is reported that the Constituent Assembly of the Network of Local Elected Youth of Africa, "YELO", will take place on Monday, October 31, 2022 from 10 a.m. at the Marina Bay hotel in Tangier.
The meeting will be dedicated to the adoption of the regulations and the roadmap of the YELO Network, as well as the election of the members of the governing bodies of the Network.
The Moroccan and international press are invited to cover the opening ceremony of the General Assembly of the YELO Network on Monday, October 31, 2022 at 10 a.m. at the Marina Bay hotel in Tangier, as well as the opening ceremony of the 28th session of the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa on Tuesday, November 1, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at the Barceló hotel in Tangier.
As a reminder, the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa is the body responsible for the political leadership of the organization.
The Executive Committee is made up of 16 members, 15 members elected by the General Assembly from among the members of the Pan-African Council (3 for each of the 5 regions of Africa) to which is added the President of the Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA, Permanent Commission for Gender Equality of UCLG Africa).
The members of the UCLG Africa Executive Committee represent the Africa chapter in the UCLG World Executive Bureau.
The Pan-African Council of UCLG Africa is the body in charge of the annual supervision of the conduct of the affairs of UCLG Africa between the General Assembly meetings that take place every three (3) years in the framework of the Africities Summits.
The Pan-African Council is composed of forty-five (45) active members elected by the General Assembly, that is, nine (9) from each of the five sub-regions of Africa.
The members of the UCLG Africa Pan-African Council represent the Africa chapter in the UCLG World Council.
United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) is the world organization in charge of defining and carrying out the positions of the leaders and elected representatives of regional and local governments within the United Nations and the international community.
UCLG is based in Barcelona, Spain.
UCLG has seven (7) regional sections and one metropolitan section: The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) based in Brussels, Belgium.
United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) based in Rabat, Morocco; the section of the countries of the former Soviet republics (EURASIE) based in Kazan, Russia; the Middle East and Western Asia Section (UCLG MEWA) based in Istanbul, Turkey; the Asia Pacific section (UCLG ASPAC) based in Jakarta, Indonesia; the Latin America and the Caribbean Section represented by FLAGMA (based in Mexico City, Mexico) and Mercocities (based in Montevideo, Uruguay); the North American Section based at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in Ottawa, Canada; and the Metropolitan Section based in Barcelona, Spain.
The 7th World Summit of Leaders and Officials of Cities and Regional Governments organized by United Cities and Local Governments (http://www.UCLGA.org) in Daejeon, South Korea, from October 10 to 14, 2022, brought together more of 3,000 cities and regional governments and their partners to discuss and adopt the UCLG Pact for the Future of Humanity focusing on the future of People, the future of the Planet and the future of Government.
The Summit was attended by a strong African delegation from 30 countries on the continent.
African delegates participated in various activities of the various tracks of the Summit and organized many sessions, including a peer learning session on "Promoting the Principles of Effective Governance in Africa", organized by UCLG Africa-ALGA ( African Academy of Local Government); a session on the celebration of the 10 years of existence of REFELA (Network of Local Elected Women of Africa); and a series of sessions on the climate agenda, in particular on the participation of cities and regional governments in the upcoming COP27 from November 6 to 18 in Charm-El-Sheikh, Egypt.
During the UCLG Africa Summit signed 3 MoUs with: 1.
Mercocities, the association of cities and local governments of the Mercosur regional regrouping in Latin America; 2.
ASPAC regional section of UCLG; 3.
The Academy of Local Government in The Hague.
Also during the Congress, a collaboration agreement was signed between the city of Xi'an in China and the city of Rabat in Morocco.
An agreement was also signed between the city of Chefchaouen in Morocco and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) to finance the renovation of public lighting.
The Congress was also the place to renew the positions of the organization.
In this sense, the UCLG World Assembly ratified the election of the members of the World Council, the World Executive Bureau and the Vice Presidents elected after the electoral process carried out by each section of UCLG.
Regarding the UCLG leadership that will be elected by the UCLG World Council, including the President, the Co-Presidents, the Treasurer and the President of the Permanent Commission for Gender Equality, the African delegation invited the different sections of UCLG to adopt a consensus approach to appoint the holders of the aforementioned positions.
This approach embraces the values of shared responsibilities, collegiality and a shared common purpose for strengthening the global municipal movement.
The African delegation recalled the spirit that defined and shaped the approach on how to manage the 2021 leadership transition occasioned by the loss of the mandate of the previous president of UCLG (Honorary President Mohamed Boudra), where the tradition of promoting collegiality and sharing responsibility received consensus.
This meant that the members of the presidency shared the leadership role of the president for the remainder of the term.
Consistent with the proven success and benefits of that model in strengthening and consolidating unity in this fairly new organization, after lengthy consideration of the risks and benefits of the consensus approach by delegates from the different sections of UCLG, following the good offices of the African delegation, the designation of the leadership of UCLG was finally adopted by consensus, and this leadership was elected as follows: President.
Candidacy for the Collegiate Presidency of UCLG by rotation Carolina Cosse, Mayor of Montevideo, Uruguay, Latin America - LATAM (year 1); Ibrahim Altay, Mayor of Konya, Turkey, Middle East and West Asia - MEWA (Chairman year 2); Yan Van Zanen, Mayor of The Hague, The Netherlands, EUROPE (Chairman year 3); Lee Jang-Woo, Mayor Daejeon, South Korea, Asia Pacific - ASPAC (Chair Year 4) Co-Chairs, UCLG Li Mongyuan, Mayor Xi'an, China, ASPAC Stofile Bekhe, Chair SALGA, South Africa, AFRICA Kulginov Altay, Mayor of Astana , Kazakhstan, EURASIA Berry Vrbanovic, Mayor of Kitchener, Canada, NORAM Johnny Araya, Mayor of San José, Costa Rica, LATAM Treasurer, UCLG Rhalalou Asmaa, Mayor of Rabat, Morocco, AFRICA President, UCLG Standing Committee on Gender Equality Fatimetou Abdel Malick, President of the Nouakchott Region, Mauritania, AFRICA Special Appointments for UCLG Representation Pact for Future Ambassadors • Ambassador for the Future of People (Ada Colau, Mayor of Barcelona, EUROPE) • Ambassador for the Future of the Planet (Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, EUROPE) • Ambassador for the Future of Government (Yucel Yilmaz, Mayor of Baukesir, MEWA) Special Envoys Special Envoy for the New Urban Agenda Carlos Martinez, Mayor of S Oria, EUROPE Special Envoy for Food Systems (Mohamed Sefiani, Mayor of Chefchaouen, AFRICA) Special Envoy for Freedom, Solidarity and the fight against violence against local political leaders (Ms. Carola Gunnarsson, Mayor of Sala, EUROPE) Finally, the General Assembly received the offer to host the UCLG World Congress 2026 from the following candidates: City of Cairo, Egypt; City of Tangier, Morocco; and Cyprus.
The UCLG World Secretariat was asked to continue negotiations with the different candidates to generate a consolidated file of candidates to be presented to the next UCLG World Council in Konya, Turkey, in 2023.
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), the United Nations Center for Subnational Finance, and the city of Chefchaouen, Morocco, signed today at the United Cities and Local Governments Congress in Daejeon, Korea, a ceremonial agreement to finance a green public lighting project for the city.
from Chefchaouen.
UNCDF has developed a global financing mechanism under the SDG Cities programme, with the support of the International Municipal Investment Fund Technical Assistance Fund (IMIF TAF), to increase the capacity of local governments to address the key challenges of urbanization through access to sustainable sources of capital finance.
The SDG Cities program aims to harness the resources of local governments to mobilize public and private investment, while helping local governments move from traditional pure grant funding to an expanded mix of financial sources to address local challenges.
With this project, the city of Chefchaouen intends to complete the modernization of its public lighting network through compliance and safety investments in electrical cabinets, streetlights, cables; investments in energy efficiency by switching to energy efficient LED lamps and other energy saving equipment and; Priority investments in Avenida Hassan II in modern lighting columns and LED lamps.
The Chefchaouen project on public lighting was selected through a very competitive call for proposals launched jointly by UCLG and UNCDF for the IMIF TAF.
There is no cost to the municipality for this project, all reimbursements will come from the municipality's savings on street lighting.
The innovative solution provided by this association aims to be expanded at a regional and national level and replicated in other municipalities.
The Moroccan partners will create and finance a revolving fund.
This will bring modern solutions for public lighting in most secondary cities in Morocco.
This ceremonial signing of the first financing agreement between a municipality and UNCDF is an important step in contributing to the five key elements of the Malaga coalition for the global financial ecosystem that works for cities and local governments, which is essential to fulfill with global agendas.
David Jackson said: "This opens the door for replication of this agreement in Morocco, for the UNCDF, local government funding is not just about individual investment, it is about the transformative catalytic effect of this investment."
The Mayor of Chefchaouen, Mohammed Sefiani, said that "this is a unique initiative of its kind, we always say that it is necessary to facilitate access to international financing, this initiative is a great example of this and should be expanded in many Moroccan cities", said Emilia Saiz. "We work to have more options and financing instruments for cities.
There is still not enough funding; It takes a long time, there is little flexibility, and few cities are capable of putting it together."
The African Development Bank (AfDB) and United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) (www.UCLGA.org) in collaboration with GiZ and the Sahel and West Africa Club of the OECD organized from 19 to 24 September 2022 a training session on: Access to capital markets for African cities and sub-national governments.
The training was attended by CFOs from some forty African cities and subnational governments hailing from 26 countries: Senegal, Liberia, Gabon, Congo, Cameroon, Malawi, Kenya, Mauritius, Zambia, Mozambique, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Central African Republic, Madagascar, Rwanda, Nigeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Tunisia, Nigeria, Ivory Coast.
The opening ceremony was marked by several speeches delivered by: Mr. Stefan Atchia, Manager of the Urban Division of the African Development Bank; Mr. Ripert Boussoukpé, Secretary General of the Regional Council for Public Savings and Financial Markets (CREPMF); Mrs. Harlette Badou N'GUESSAN KOUAMÉ, Mayor of Arrah and Secretary General of the Union of Cities and Municipalities of the Ivory Coast (UVICOCI).
The opening speech was given by the Hon. Mr. Eugène Aka Aouélé, President of the Economic, Social, Environmental and Cultural Council of Côte d'Ivoire, President of the Assembly of Regions and Districts of Côte d'Ivoire and President of the South- Comoé region.
What is the Capital Market?
What are the institutions of the capital market ecosystem?
What are the key concepts of the financial analysis of Cities and Subnational Governments?
What are the balance sheets and financial ratios to consider?
How do you develop credible financial forecasts?
What criteria are considered by rating agencies?
How does a stock market and a municipal bond issue work?
What is the content of the support provided by brokerage and management companies?
What is securitization and how can it be used?
How to access "green finance"?
These are some of the questions discussed during the group work and the case studies, which allowed the participants to obtain a more detailed understanding of the capital markets ecosystem and to appropriate a wide range of tools to access it.
Participants also had the opportunity to learn about the African Development Bank Group Financing Instruments and the African Development Bank Group Subnational Lending Guidelines.
The training program, which began in Abidjan, will continue in Johannesburg.
Visits to the Regional Council for Public Savings and Financial Markets (CREPMF) were also organized, where the participants were received by the President, Mr. Badanam Patoki, and the Secretary General, Mr. Ripert Boussoukpé; and to the Abidjan Regional Stock Exchange (BRVM) where the Director General, Mr. Kossi Amenouvé, welcomed the participants.
These visits allowed the participants to touch the reality of the functioning of the institutions that operate in the capital markets.
The training session offered the opportunity to renew the governing bodies of the Network of Directors and Heads of Financial Services of African Local Authorities (Africa FINET).
Thus, they were elected - President of the Network: Mr. Jeremiah Sibande, from Lilongwe (Malawi).
- First Vice-Chairman: Mr. Jean-Bosco Massoma Ekwalla from Douala (Cameroon) - Second Vice-Chairman: Ms. Sylvie Some Ouoba from Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) - Third Vice-Chairman: Mr. Kamal Jelouane from Agadir (Morocco) - Fourth Vice-Chairman: Mr Jean Rubangutsangabo from Kigali (Rwanda).
In addition, two honorary members were appointed: Mr. Reshma Bukhory Bahadoor from Flacq (Mauritius) and Ms. Olarike Olayinka from Ekiti State (Nigeria) The training session was closed on Saturday, September 24 at 11:00 am by Mr. Yapi Fidel, General Director of Decentralization and Local Development (DGDDL) of the Ministry of the Interior and Security.
The second training session on access to capital markets for cities and subnational governments in Africa is scheduled to take place in Johannesburg, South Africa in January 2023.
The organization of the first Forum of African Regions at the continental level turned out to be a success.
Held in Saïdia, in the eastern region of Morocco, the forum took place on September 8 and 9, 2022.
About 500 delegates, from 30 countries, including 21 African countries, and more than 80 presidents of African regional governments participated in the event that "was a historical fact" according to many.
Praise for this fruitful first edition organized by the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa), in collaboration with the Association of the Moroccan Region (ARM), the Eastern Regional Council (CRO) and the Ministry of the Interior (through the DGCT) was accompanied by a massive expression of gratitude from most of the participants towards the Moroccan authorities in general, and in particular towards His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
This acknowledgment of appreciation was also expressed in the “Saïdia Declaration” read by Professor Anyang Nyong'o, Governor of Kisumu County in Kenya, which highlighted the need to make Africa's regions structures of sustainable development clusters in the continent and important milestones in the construction of the “integrated Africa that we want”.
The “Saïdia Declaration” also affirmed the importance of calling on national governments and development partners to ensure that the financial means of implementing national public policies and global agendas reach the budgets of regional governments.
One of the key moments of this closing day was the presentation of the FORAF Roadmap that was drawn up to give concrete objectives to all the presidents of the African regions and invited them to strengthen their regional governments, financial, technical and democratically.
The actions presented in the Roadmap took into account the ten year plan of UCLG Africa, also known as GADEPPA 2.0. Participants committed to collaborating with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) secretariat and Afreximbank and encouraged the UCLG Africa secretariat to conclude an MoU with the aforementioned institutions.
The roadmap will be translated into an action plan that will be prepared by a working group made up of five (5) members, one (1) per region.
This work plan will be presented during the Pan-African Council of UCLG Africa to be held in Tangier, from November 1 to 3, 2022.
The heads of FORAF were elected during the assembly held on September 9, 2022.
The Executive Bureau of the FORAF is now made up of four vice-presidents (from the Amoron'i Mania Madagascar Region, represented by its Président, Ms. Aline Mamiarosa; the Association of the Regions of Morocco, represented by its President, Ms. Bouaida Mbarka, President of the Region Guelmin, Morocco, the Northern Region, Cameroon, represented by its President, Mr. Oumarou Ousmanou, the Province of Gauteng, South Africa, represented by its Prime Minister, Mr. David Makhura (who was represented by Mr. Lebogang Maile, MEC of Gauteng Province, South Africa) and as Chairman, the Nigerian Governors Forum represented by Dr. John Olukayode Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State, Nigeria.
In his acceptance speech ón, the newly elected president of FORAF emphasized that "it is time for Africans to stop dying and start organizing!" The Forum of African Regions is a concrete first step leading to the emergence of the “Africa of the Peoples” called for by the African Union's Agenda 2063, and an important change for a bright future for the continent.
PJ : Saïdia Declaration; Interview with Dr. John Aloukayode, FORAF's first president: https://bit.ly/3RZ4yVB
Under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the first edition of the Forum of African Regions (FORAF) has been launched on September 8, 2022, in Saïdia, Eastern Region of Morocco.
This meeting is organized by the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA Africa) (www.UCLGA.org), in collaboration with the Association of Regions of Morocco (ARM), the Council of the Eastern Region (CRO) and the Directorate General of Territorial Collectivities (DGCT) of the Ministry of the Interior of the Kingdom of Morocco.
On behalf of the Moroccan Minister of the Interior, el Wali, the Secretary General of the Ministry of the Interior, Mr. Mohamed Faouzi, the President of UCLG Africa, Ms. Fatimetou Abdel Malick, the President of ARM, Ms. Mbarka Bouaida and Mr. Abdennabi Bioui, President of the Regional Council of the Eastern Region, participated in the official ceremony in the presence of more than 400 delegates, excited to attend this historic moment that is taking place for the first time.
The proceedings focus on "The contribution of Regional Governments to sustainable development and integration dynamics in Africa."
At the opening ceremony on September 8, 2022, Mrs. Fatimetou Abdel Malick said in her statement: “Decentralization is now an irreversible movement in Africa.
An increasing number of African countries have established a second level of governance between the national and local levels.” This Forum is attended by more than 60 Presidents or Governors of regions from 21 African countries, including Nigeria, Congo, Madagascar, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Cameroon, Mauritania, Kenya, South Africa, etc.
“The presence in this first edition of our Forum of representatives from so many African countries is the recent expression of our common belonging to the great African family.
It reflects our commitment to our natural, geographic and political roots,” Ms. Mbarka Bouaida told attendees and the press.
Mr. Mohamed Faouzi completed this statement by saying that: “The objective of this Forum is to achieve a vision that can define a framework for African citizens; a framework that meets the needs of people, without compromising the needs of future generations; a framework that allows regional officials to build Africa by and for Africans.” Mr. Abdennabi Bioui, President of the Eastern Region, recalled that “the idea of creating the Forum of African Regions was born here, in our region, our land.
This land connects the present with the past and anticipates the future in a spirit that understands that the goals of liberation from colonialism are the same as the goals of sustainable development, considering that in the end, in both cases, the goal is to achieve Africa's development.
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Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG Africa, underlined that he hoped that “through the discussions and deliberations that will take place during these two days, we can realize how much we can and must do to change the face of our continent, beginning to sow the seeds that will make the Africa of the Peoples emerge beyond the Africa of the National States, which is the Africa that we want.” The program of the day included the following sessions: Panel 1: Regional Governments and Institutional Environment Panel 2: Regional Governments, climate change and resilience Panel 3: Regional Governments and Territorial Competitiveness Panel 4: Regional Governments and the year of human and financial resources challenges Panel 5: Regional Governments and Open Government Panel 6: Regional Governments and African Integration During the second day, on September 9, 2022, the Forum will focus on the discussion of the FORAF roadmap and the election of the heads of FORAF.
From September 8 to 10, 2022, the first edition of the Forum of African Regions (FORAF) will take place in Saïdia (Morocco), in the Oriental region.
Under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, this Forum is organized by the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA Africa) (www.UCLGA.org), in collaboration with the Association of Regions of Morocco (ARM), the Council of the Eastern Region (CRO) and the General Directorate of Territorial Collectivities (DGCT) of the Ministry of the Interior of the Kingdom of Morocco.
This meeting, whose theme is "The contribution of Regional Governments to sustainable development and integration dynamics in Africa", is a concrete implementation of the decisions taken by the General Assembly of UCLG Africa during the 8th edition of the Africities Summit, held in Marrakech in November 2018, according to Mrs. Fatimetou Abdel Malick, President of UCLG Africa.
This Forum will bring together for the first time the presidents of regions, counties and federal states of more than 20 African countries that have a second level of decentralized territorial government, including Nigeria, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar , Mali, Niger, etc More than 400 participants are expected to attend this event.
This first edition will be an opportunity to discuss the role of regional governments in the definition and implementation of development and integration strategies.
It will highlight various issues that are at the heart of the missions of regional governments, including the economic, social and cultural development of the territories; equipment, attractiveness and competitiveness of the territories; adaptation to climate change, sustainability and resilience of the territories; the contribution of the territories to the achievement of the sustainable development goals, the achievement of the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the implementation of the Agenda 2063 of the African Union, the cooperation between African regions to strengthen the integration dynamics of Africa.
FORAF will be the platform for the organization and constitution of the elective General Assembly as the governing body within UCLG Africa.
Therefore, it is expected that the members of this entity will be proposed at the Forum and the president will be elected on September 9, 2022.
The latter will represent the African continent in the World Forum of Regions of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) , whose governing bodies will be renewed at the UCLG World Congress to be held in Daejon, South Korea, from October 10 to 14, 2022.
According to Ms. Abdel Malick, President of UCLG Africa, "the launch of FORAF is an important step in the process of integrating Africa, a great step towards the emergence of the Africa of the Peoples".
