Circular
14/2020
Barcelona, 7 July 2020
To the members of UCLG
To the Secretaries General
To the Vice-Presidents of United Cities and Local Governments
To the Chairs of UCLG Committees, Working Groups, Communities of Practice and Fora
For information: To the Presidency
Renewal process of the UCLG Policy Councils
Deadline: 10 September 2020
Dear members,
Taking into account the renewed leadership in the Congress and the up-dated work plan of the Organization, the Executive Bureau agreed in May this year to launch a renewal process of the UCLG Policy Councils, under the leadership of the Presidency and in coordination with the UCLG Consultation Mechanisms.
It is possible for members currently involved to continue playing a role.
Context
As you know, the UCLG Policy Councils provide an opportunity for political representatives to participate in the Organization’s policymaking and to have their views raised before the UCLG’s governing bodies.
The Policy Councils usually meet twice a year, in the framework of the UCLG statutory meetings (Executive Bureau in the first half of the year / World Council in the second half).
Four Policy Councils are currently active:
The Policy Council has carried out its mandate to place the focus on shifting the narrative around Migration, as well as debating views on how to support the realization of the right to adequate housing for all.
The Policy Council has brought the views on Culture as the Fourth Pillar of Sustainable Development, protecting its core value, and fostering city diplomacy and dialogue as a way to promote peace.
How to carry out an integrated territorial approach to development and, in particular, how to promote local governments’ access to finance by rethinking and strengthening subnational financing in order to better provide basic services for the citizens has been the main focus of the Policy Council.
The Policy Council has promoted the role of local governments in creating the Global Alliance on Urban Crises, and has worked to highlight the role local and regional governments can play in carrying out an ecological transition. The Declaration on Humankind Rights was recommended to be adopted at the Executive Bureau in Montevideo after being debated by the Policy Council.
The above themes are the results of the priority axes of our Organization and reflect key issues covered by the global agendas for development. It is clear that the work of the above Councils remains very relevant and that they will need to adapt their focus to the post-COVID reality.
The Executive Bureau also validated the need, expressed by the membership, to develop a 5th Policy Council dedicated to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, which could pay special attention to the work of local government associations in the country wide implementation plans.
[For more information on how the Policy Councils function, you can read the Terms of Reference adopted by the Executive Bureau in Madrid in 2017]
How to express your interest in actively participating in the Policy Councils
Should you be interested in becoming a member of a Policy Council, we invite you to send an email to UCLGExBu@uclg.org by 10 September at the latest, indicating in the subject of the email “Policy Councils renewal” and the name of the Policy Council you would be interested in.
If you are already involved in a Policy Council and wish to continue your work, please also write to UCLGExBu@uclg.org, following the same indications.
Next steps
- All the expressions of interest will be put to the consideration of the Presidency during its next meeting in September (date to be confirmed).
- The Committee on Statutory Affairs will conduct a final revision and will present the proposals to the World Council in November.
- Renewed priorities for the work of the Councils are expected to be developed until the Executive Bureau of 2021 following initial discussions at the World Council.
Should you have any questions on the process, the statutory affairs team remains at your disposal at the same email (UCLGExBu@uclg.org).
Sincerely,
The UCLG World Secretariat
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