|
The role of cities in the international arena is increasingly important, not only because the vast majority of the world population lives in urban environments, but also because the main challenges of globalisation are reflected locally.
Local authorities enjoy the most advantageous and privileged position to propose and implement adequate solutions to the most pressing problems of our times. Indeed, the city is the physical location where most of these problems occur and, we, the local authorities, are the form of democratic government closest to the people. We, local authorities, are ready and willing to take charge of these responsibilities and face this challenge, in close cooperation with national governments and the international community.
With a view to exploring venues of cooperation, in the last few years, the world movement of local governments launched a campaign to strengthen its presence in the international arena and, more particularly, in those UN Summits that discussed the primary challenges that cities face. In 1992, local authorities fought to be present at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. However, at the time, the role of local authorities was still considered marginal vis-à-vis important international meetings and events. Local governments were still considered similar to non-governmental organisations, even from the accreditation and legal points of view. We had to wait until the Habitat II in Istanbul in 1996, when local authorities were eventually recognised as democratically elected local governments and thus legitimate representatives of our citizens. Some years later, in 2002, one of the fundamental conclusions at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg was that the only substantive progress reported in the implementation of the Agenda 21 took place at the local level. Once again, we, local authorities, proved our commitment to the principles and plan of action of the UN.
We, local authorities, have travelled a long and, very often, difficult road to reach the position at which we stand today. It has not been easy to convince national governments and international organisations that we are not enemies, but necessary partners if we are to successfully confront some of the challenges facing humanity. The world movement of local governments has worked very hard to become united and speak with a common voice in the international arena. Today, we are proud to announce the culmination of that process, that we have been able to overcome our differences. As a result, an agreement has been reached to establish a new body called the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG). The UCLG will unite the principal organisations of cities and local governments such as the International Union of Local Authorities (IULA), the Fédération Mondiale des Cités Unies – United Towns Organisation (FMCU-UTO), and Metropolis. It will be formally established in Paris in May 2004 with its headquarters in Barcelona. We hope that the establishment of the UCLG will call the attention of the UN system and help it listen more attentively the voices of the cities.
UN-HABITAT has played a crucial role in the process to have the presence of local authorities acknowledged in the international arena. In this respect, UN-HABITAT was deeply involved in the establishment of the UNACLA in Venice in the year 2000. UNACLA, which I have the honor to chair, is composed of a selected number of mayors and serves as a mechanism of empowerment for strengthening communication and cooperation between UN-HABITAT and local authorities in the framework of the Habitat Agenda and UN-HABITAT’s Global Campaigns on Secure Tenure and Good Urban Governance.
UN-HABITAT, under the dynamic leadership of its Executive Director, Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, has been a great ally to us. This UN agency has contributed to the promotion of the presence of local authorities at UN summit meetings, facilitated dialogue with the international community in general, and acknowledged our role at its most important events and meetings.
In this regard, I wish to highlight the meeting held with the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, in June 2001, on the occasion of the UN-HABITAT Istanbul + 5 meeting, which we consider a milestone for the acknowledgement of the local authorities’ role within the UN. The UN Secretary-General recognised then the relevance of local authorities in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, which became, from then on, an integral part of our own agenda. At that meeting it was proposed, moreover, that cities and local governments become more directly and deeply involved in the activities of UN Peacekeeping Operations. This is another important project on which we are working.
I also wish to highlight, in the framework of collaboration with UN-HABITAT, the establishment of a group of experts on decentralisation, as well as the pogrammes on Best Practices and Local Leadership and City-to-City Cooperation, which again reinforces our role in UN-HABITAT’s work programme.
Furthermore, I would like to acknowledge UN-HABITAT’s pertinent decision to establish the World Urban Forum as a biennial meeting at which the primary challenges that cities face nowadays are discussed by experts. In the World Urban Forum, local authorities, together with other Habitat Agenda partners, play a crucial role.
The challenges in front of us are great and require even harder work for UNACLA to significantly help empower local authorities around the world. UNACLA has proven the most dynamic and respected instrument to promote dialogue between local authorities and UN-HABITAT, and, through it, with the UN system. In this sense, we all should provide UN-HABITAT with the necessary means and resources to achieve its goals and objectives. I am confident that the establishment of the newly created UCLG will give us a boost to improve our capacities and our ability to influence, always with the firm support of UN-HABITAT.
Joan Clos, the Mayor of Barcelona, is the Chairman of UNACLA.
|
