NEWS

         

The United Nations Advisory Committee of Local Authorities (UNACLA) met in Istanbul on April 24 under the theme "The global development agendas, implications for local governments" and upon the invitation of Kadir Topbaş, Mayor of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and current Chairman of UNACLA.

This meeting happened in a critical time when local governments and their associations face the challenge of involving their members in the local implementation of several global agendas, including the Development Agenda 2030 and the New Urban Agenda (NUA). It was an excellent opportunity for strategic thinking and fruitful exchange.

The meeting contributed to advance in the local implementation of the global development agendas and to further explore the real implications for local and regional governments and the role of UNACLA to support these processes.

The meeting brought together over 35 participants, political representatives included Kadir Topbaş, Mayor of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Chairman of UNACLA, Joan Clos, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, Secretaries General and representatives from the UCLG World Secretariat, UCLG Sections (Africa, Asia Pacific, Eurasia, CEMR, MEWA, Metropolis and Forum of Regions), the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) and Citynet.
 
Over the course of the day, participants addressed the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, the progress made in the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the crucial role local and regional governments are called upon to play in these intertwined agendas. The later sessions further explored mechanisms for establishing a structural dialogue between UNACLA members and the UN System based on the recommendations elaborated by the local government constituency and set strategic direction to the UNACLA Secretariat about the strategic actions to undertake during the period 2017 – 2019.