What Local And Regional Governments Bring To The Global Table
WHAT LOCALAND REGIONALGOVERNMENTSBRING TO THEGLOBAL TABLELegitimacy, Experience, Organization#Listen2Cities#Habitat3
CONTENTS01INTRODUCTION02LOCAL AND REGIONALGOVERNMENTS ON THEGLOBAL STAGEp. 4p. 605Decentralization and subsidiarity- Global Taskforce members- International Guidelineson Decentralisation and theStrengthening of Local Authorities- Global Taskforce partnersWHAT DO LOCAL AND REGIONALGOVERNMENTS BRING TOp. 8THE TABLE?Legitimacy as a sphere of the stateAn organized constituency, ready tocontributePlease visit:gtf2016.orgor write to:globaltaskforce@uclg.orgNote: This publication was producedwith the support of the UN-Habitatand within the framework of theUCLG-EC Strategic Partnership.04INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITIONOF LOCAL AND REGIONALGOVERNMENTS- Decentralization in Habitat II06Experience on the groundThe Global Taskforce of Local andRegional Governments facilitated byUCLG gathers over 30 networks thatare active internationally.p. 14Local self-governmentThe Global Taskforce03DECENTRALIZATIONAND LOCAL DEMOCRACYWHAT’S THE LOCAL ANDREGIONAL GOVERNMENTAGENDA FOR HABITAT III?A territorial approachThe five dimensions of the GlobalAgenda of Local and RegionalGovernmentsp. 10Local authorities vs local governments:a note on terminologyThe “closest partner” of UN-HabitatHabitat III Local Authority HearingsWorld Assembly of Local and RegionalGovernmentsp. 17
45INTRODUCTIONThe New Urban Agenda that will be adopted at the HabitatIII Conference in Quito in October 2016 will guide urbanpolicies in UN Member States over the next twenty years.This document seeks to explain the role of local and regionalgovernments in the development and implementation ofthe New Urban Agenda in the context of the constituency’sevolving participation in the international community overrecent decades.01It aims to serve as a resource for representatives of MemberStates, negotiators, ministries and other stakeholdersbeyond the Habitat III Conference as local and regionalgovernments seek a renewed partnership with the UN andan active role in the implementation and follow-up of theNew Urban Agenda.“Local authorities form avital bridge between nationalgovernments, communitiesand citizens and will have acritical role in a new globalpartnership.”A New Global Partnership: The Report of theHigh-Level Panel of Eminent Persons onthe Post-2015 Development Agenda, 2013Habitat III Informal Hearings with Local AuthoritiesAssociations
67LOCAL AND REGIONALGOVERNMENTS ONTHE GLOBAL STAGE02Local and regional governments have beenactive internationally for over a hundredyears. The International Union of LocalAuthorities, of which UCLG is the inheritor,was established in 1913.Over the past century, the internationalmunicipal movement has grown insize and proven its ability to contributeinnovative solutions to global challenges.The constituency has been increasinglyrecognized in formal international processesand institutions, including those of the UnitedNations.THE GLOBAL TASKFORCEIn 2012, in the wake of the Rio 20 Summit,the major international networks of localand regional government networks createda Global Taskforce of Local and RegionalGovernments (GTF) to coordinate joint inputsand responses to major international policyprocesses, particularly Post-2015 and HabitatIII.1 The GTF is facilitated by United Cities andLocal Governments (UCLG).www.gtf2016.org@gtf2016GLOBAL TASKFORCE MEMBERSTogether, GTF networks represent around323,000 sub-national institutions, from smallmunicipalities to metropolises and regions.2UCLGUnited Cities and Local Governments and itsthematic commissionsICLEILocal Governments for Sustainability“It is often said that,like all politics, alldevelopment isultimately local. As theworld strives for a moresustainable path in theyears ahead, particularlybeyond 2015, local voicesand local action willbe crucial elements inour quest. That is whyI welcome the creationof the Global Task Forceof Local and RegionalGovernments.”UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’smessage to the meeting of the Global TaskForce of Local and Regional Governments inNew York on 28 May 2013.AIMFUCLG-MEWAMiddle East and West African Section of UCLGUCLG-NORAMNorth American Section of UCLGFLACMAInternational Association of Francophone MayorsLatin American Federation of Municipalities andLocal Government AssociationsATOUCLG-ACLGFCUFCommonwealth Local Government ForumCités Unies RMAArab Towns OrganizationNetwork of cities of MercosurNetwork of Regional Governments for SustainabilityMetropolitan Section of UCLGAfrican Section of UCLGUnited Regions OrganizationGlobal Fund for Cities DevelopmentUCLG RegionsEuropean platform of local and regional authoritiesfor developmentCEMR-CCRECities Climate Leadership GroupUCLG Forum of RegionsCouncil of European Municipalities and RegionsUCLG-ASPACAsia Pacific Section of UCLGUCLG-EURASIAEurasian Section of UCLGC40UCCIUnión de Ciudades Capitales IberoamericanaAL-LASProyecto de ciudades y gobiernos locales de Europa yAmérica LatinaGLOBAL TASKFORCE PARTNERSCITIES ALLIANCE, DeLog, ENGIE, EuropeanCommission, French Ministry of ForeignAffairs, Habitat for Humanity, HLP Post2015, Huairou Commission, ILO, MillenniumCampaign, One UN Secretariat, SlumDwellers International, SUEZ, UN-Habitat,UNCDF, UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, WorldUrban Campaign, UNACLAFor more information on the GTF’s participation in the SDG process,see the publication “Local and Regional Voices on the Global Stage: OurPost-2015 Journey” http://www.uclg.org/sites/default/files/our post2015 journey.pdf2The calculation of the total number Global Taskforce members includes local and regional government members of national and regionalassociations.1
8WHAT DO LOCALAND REGIONALGOVERNMENTS BRINGTO THE TABLE?03LEGITIMACY AS A SPHERE OF THE STATELocal and regional governments form partof the state in all but four UN MemberStates (Nauru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, St.Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines andSingapore). This makes local and regionalgovernments different from other nonstate actors such as NGOs and the privatesector. Furthermore, while mayors and localofficials are appointed in some countries,some sort of local elections are held in149 of the 193 UN Member States (up fromthe 97 countries that held them during thenegotiations of Habitat II in 1996).3EXPERIENCE ON THE GROUNDLocal and regional governments arethe closest level of government to thecitizen and often have direct responsibilityfor dealing with vaital daily challengesrelating to Habitat III, such as basic serviceprovision, urban planning, transport andenvironmental protection. This firsthand experience of urban governancewill be essential to the development andimplementation of an ambitious but realisticNew Urban Agenda.“We need to putimplementers at thecentre of Habitat III Weneed institutions that areable to deliver, based onreal knowledge about theneeds of all inhabitants,including those living ininformality.”Statement to the Plenary Session ofPrepCom2 delivered by JacquelineMoustache-Belle on behalf of UCLG and theGlobal TaskforceAN ORGANIZED CONSTITUENCY,READY TO CONTRIBUTEInternational associations of localgovernments provide a direct line for theinternational community to the diverseexperiences and shared priorities oflocal and regional governments acrossthe world. They allow their members tocontribute to international policy-making ina representative, responsive, and effectiveway.Membership of local governmentassociations is institutional, ratherthan political, and such organizationsare often governed through internaldemocratic processes. Thus, whenevera mayor or governor speaks on behalfof an international association of localgovernments in an international forum, heor she represents the common interestsand priorities of all of the members ofthat association, rather than of their ownparticular city, region, or political party.“I also want to reassureyou, by expressing thatour delegation doesnot come here to makestatements about ourlocal political situations.We come here to findsolutions, with you, for asustainable future.”Statement to the Plenary Session ofPrepCom2 delivered by JacquelineMoustache-Belle on behalf of UCLG and theGlobal TaskforceSome sort of localelections are heldin 149 of the 193UN Member States3Source: UN-Habitat, Local Government and Decentralization Unit, 2015
1011INTERNATIONALRECOGNITION OFLOCAL AND REGIONALGOVERNMENTSLocal government networks have heldNon-Governmental Organization (NGO)Consultative Status with the UnitedNations Economic and Social Council(ECOSOC) since 1947.At the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, localauthorities were identified as one of nine‘major groups’ for Agenda 21.Local governments have been recognizedat included in major UN and internationalmeetings such as Beijing 10, theMillennium 5 Summit of Heads of Stateand the World Water Forum.In 2000, the first formal advisory bodyof local governments to the UnitedNations, the UN Advisory Committee ofLocal Authorities (UNACLA) was set upto strengthen dialogue between nationalgovernments and local authorities on theimplementation of the Habitat Agenda.UCLG nominates 10 of its 20 members andCommittee is chaired by the President ofUCLG.04In 2005, in the year of the adoption of theMillennium Development Goals, localand regional governments demonstratedour commitment to achieving the MDGswith our Millennium Towns and CitiesCampaign.In 2008, UCLG advised the high-level UNPanel on the Alliance of Civilizations toensure that the views of the world’s mayorsand councillors were taken into account in itsreport to the UN General Assembly.In 2008 UCLG became member of theadvisory group of the First UN Forum forDevelopment Cooperation and representedlocal and regional governments at theThird OECD High Level Forum on AidEffectiveness.In 2010, local governments were acknowledgedas a governmental stakeholder in internationalclimate change negotiations for the first time inthe Cancun Agreement at COP 16.Paragraph 42: “We reaffirm the key role of all levels of government andlegislative bodies in promoting sustainable development. We furtheracknowledge efforts and progress made at the local and sub-nationallevels, and recognize the important role that such authorities and communities can play in implementing sustainable development.” (See alsoparagraphs 22, 43, 76, 85, 98, 99, 101, 134, 135, 136, 137, 253)4To contribute to the Rio 20 Summit in 2012,over 250 local and regional governmentrepresentatives met at the Urban Summit,organized by UCLG and UN-Habitat with thesupport of Cities Alliance, UNACLA and theCity of Rio. The Outcome Document of theRio 20 Summit was unprecedented in itsrecognition of of the role of local and regionalgovernments in sustainable development.4In 2012, the President of UCLG and Mayor ofIstanbul was appointed to the UN SecretaryGeneral's High-Level Panel of EminentPersons on the Post-2015 DevelopmentAgenda to represent the perspective of localand regional governments on the Post-2015process.LOCAL AUTHORITIES vs LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:A NOTE ON TERMINOLOGYThe terms “local authorities” and “local governments” are used interchangeably in UNresolutions.For example, in Resolution 25/4 on Implementation of the strategic plan for 2014–2019,“local authorities” appears in paragraph 4 and “local governments” in paragraph 5.Similarly, in the 15 Resolutions approved during UN-Habitat 24th Governing Councilin 2013, the term “local authorities” was employed 20 times while the term “localgovernments” was used 12 times.Our reading is that there is no substantive difference between the two in general usageor in UN language, and that both refer to the tiers of public administrations that areclosest to the people, whatever particular names and structures they take in eachcountry.
1213RESOLUTION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLYON HABITAT III PARTICIPATION MODALITIESTHE “CLOSEST PARTNER” OF UN-HABITATOn 30-31 May 1996, internationalassociations of local and regionalgovernments met in a World Assembly ofCities and Local Authorities (WACLA) inIstanbul and issued a final declaration onHabitat II as our official contribution to theConference.5The Istanbul Declaration at Habitat IIrecognized local authorities as the “closestpartners” of UN Habitat and as “essential inthe implementation of the Habitat Agenda.6According to Article 102 of the HabitatAgenda: “The municipal level of governmentcan be an effective partner in making humansettlements viable, equitable and sustainable,since its level of administration is closest tothe people. Governments must recognize theessential role of local authorities in providingservices and empowering people”.Since 1996, local government representativeshave had a special relationship with UNHabitat and, through Rule 64, have the rightto participate as observers in the UN-HabitatGoverning Council.Subsequent resolutions by the GeneralAssembly have reaffirmed and reinforced thispartnership:In 2013, the General Assembly, resolved toencourage “effective contributions fromand the active participation of all relevantstakeholders, including local governments,major groups as identified in Agenda 21,the relevant United Nations funds andprogrammes, the regional commissionsand specialized agencies, the internationalfinancial institutions and other HabitatAgenda partners, at all stages of thepreparatory process and at the conferenceitself.” 7In 2014, the General Assembly emphasized“the importance of wide participation ofall relevant stakeholders, including localauthorities, in the promotion of sustainableurbanization and settlements” and calledon Member States “to ensure effectiveparticipation of local governments andall other stakeholders in the preparatoryprocess and in the Conference itself”.8For the full WACLA Declaration text, see http://habitat.igc.org/wacla/dec-eng.html6Article 12 of the Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements Habitat II(1996) A/CONF.165/147Resolution 67/216, December 20128Resolution 69/226, December 20145In December 2015, the General Assemblyadopted Resolution A/RES/70/210, whichcontains rules on the participation of localauthorities and other stakeholders in theHabitat III process.The text of the Resolution acknowledges theorganization of the second World Assemblyof Local and Regional Authorities (page 4). Italso invites Local Authorities to “exchangeviews with countries on the zero draft ofthe outcome document of Habitat III during“Informal Hearings” and includes a specificRule (Rule 64) regarding the participation ofrepresentatives of local authorities.The Local Authority Hearings, convenedby the UN, are the first UN consultativeprocess to recognize and treat sub-nationalgovernments as a specific constituency. Thisrepresents an important step forward for thevisibility and influence of local and regionalgovernments at international level.The Hearings will allow local governmentrepresentatives to give feedback on the ZeroDraft of the New Urban Agenda in advance ofPrepCom3 in Surabaya, Indonesia from July25-27.WORLD ASSEMBLYOF LOCAL AND REGIONALGOVERNMENTSThe World Assembly is the mechanismthrough which the local and regionalgovernment constituency brought its politicalvoice to the Habitat II and III processes.In a landmark achievement for ourconstituency, the contributions of the World Assembly of Local and RegionalGovernments is acknowledged in the NewUrban Agenda adopted at Habitat III . Article 8 “We acknowledge the contributions ofnational governments, as well as thecontributions of sub-national and localgovernments, in the definition of the NewUrban Agenda and take note of the secondWorld Assembly of Local and RegionalGovernments”.Significantly, paragraph 169 calls for continuedcollaboration with the World Assembly in thefollow-up and review of the New Urban Agenda,stating “We note the importance of continuingto engage in the follow-up and review of theNew Urban Agenda with sub-national andlocal governments associations representedat the World Assembly of Local and RegionalGovernments”.I t is the aspiration of the constituency toensure that the World Assembly of Localand Regional Governments, convened by theGlobal Taskforce, will c ontinue to play a keyrole as the political voice of local and regionalgovernments in the follow-up and review ofthe New Urban Agenda.
1415DECENTRALIZATIONAND LOCALDEMOCRACYLocal and regional governments areadvocating for local democracy andself-government to be at the heartof the new Urban Agenda, within aframework of multi-level governance anddecentralization according to the principleof subsidiarity.The closer a government is to its people,the better it is able to understand localchallenges and opportunities, targetresources effectively, and be heldaccountable by its citizens. That’s whywe believe that decentralization, within aframework of multi-level governance, isone of the most effective ways to fosterdevelopment.The role of decentralization and localdemocracy in good governance anddevelopment has been increasinglyrecognized over recent decades by both UNHabitat and the international communitymore broadly.For full text and list of ratifications, see conventions/treaty/12210Habitat III Issue Paper on Urban Governance itat-III-Issue-Paper-6 Urban-Governance2.0.pdf11Resolution 21 HSP/GC/21/305LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENTDECENTRALIZATION AND SUBSIDIARITY1985 saw the adoption of the EuropeanCharter of Local Self Government bythe Council of Europe. This was the firstinternational agreement on the status andrights of local authorities and has since beenratified by 47 European countries.The United Nations Inter-Agency TaskTeam charged with preparing the HabitatIII process defined decentralization andsubsidiarity as follows:“Local self-governmentdenotes the right andthe ability of localauthorities, within thelimits of the law, toregulate and managea substantial share ofpublic affairs under theirown responsibility and inthe interests of the localpopulation”.9European Charter of Local Self Government,Part I, Article 3. 9“The process of reorganization of theState that involves a gradual transfer ofresponsibilities originally concentratedin central government towards otherspheres of government (federal states,regional, provincial governments ormunicipalities) accompanied by thenecessary resources to fulfill suchresponsibilities. The principle behindthese processes is the belief that decisionmaking and implementation are moreefficient if taken as closest to citizens aspossible (subsidiarity principle).” 10International Guidelines onDecentralisation and the Strengtheningof Local AuthoritiesIn 2007, the Governing Council of UN-Habitatapproved the International Guidelines onDecentralisation and the Strengtheningof Local Authorities.11 The Guidelinesrepresented a landmark step towards thedevelopment of an international frameworkon decentralization and remain the referencefor internationally agreed language in thisfield.The International Guidelines recognizethat sustainable development is madepossible by “the effective decentralizationof responsibilities, policy management,decision-making authority and sufficientresources, including revenue collectionauthority, to local authorities, closest to, andmost representative of, their constituencies.”Decentralization in Habitat IIThere were eight references todecentralization in the Habitat II Agendain 1996, plus one in Article 12 of theaccompanying Istanbul Declaration: Art. 12 of the Istanbul Declaration“We must, within the legal framework ofeach country, promote decentralizationthrough democratic local authorities andwork to strengthen their financial andinstitutional capacities in accordance withthe conditions of countries, while ensuringtheir transparency, accountability andresponsiveness to the needs of people.” Art. 68.(b)“Establish appropriate processes forcoordination and decentralizationthat define clear local-level rightsand responsibilities within the policydevelopment process;”
1617WHAT’S THE LOCALAND REGIONALGOVERNMENT AGENDAFOR HABITAT III? Art. 180.To ensure effective decentralization andstrengthening of local authorities andtheir associations/networks, Governmentsat the appropriate levels should: Examine and adopt, as appropriate,policies and legal frameworks fromother States that are implementingdecentralization effectively; Review and revise, as appropriate,legislation to increase local autonomyand participation in decision-making,implementation, and resourcemobilization and use, especiallywith respect to human, technicaland financial resources and localenterprise development, within theoverall framework of a national, social,economic and environmental strategy,and encourage the participation of theinhabitants in decision-making regardingtheir cities, neighbourhoods or dwellings;In 2001, at Istanbul 5, the UN assessedprogress on decentralization sinceHabitat II as follows: “We welcome theefforts made so far by many developingcountries in effecting decentralization inthe management of cities as a means ofstrengthening the operation of the localauthorities in the implement of the HabitatAgenda.” 1212Art. 13 of the Declaration on Cities and other Human Settlements inthe New Millennium, Resolution S-25/2 of 11 June 200113In Resolution A/RES/66/207 the UN decided to convene “A third UnitedNations conference on housing and sustainable urban development(Habitat III) to reinvigorate the global commitment to sustainableurbanization that should focus on the implementation of a “New UrbanAgenda.”“For local governmentto play its full rolein supporting theachievement of theSDGs by 2030, it needsto be empowered.Decentralizationof governancefunctions to localgovernment is ongoingin many countries.To be fully effective,local governmentmanagement and servicedelivery capacity need tobe strong, and resourcesneed to be adequate.”Helen Clark, Special Address to theCommonwealth Local Government Forum(CLGF) Conference 2015 “Challenges andOpportunities for Local Government in theNew Global Agenda”, Gaborone, June 2015For local and regional governments, theHabitat III process cannot and should notbe separated from the SDGs or other majorinternational commitments regardingclimate change, disaster risk and genderequality, among others. We call for asingle, universal agenda. In our towns,cities and regions we see how the issuesof poverty, development and sustainabilityare interdependent and inseparable, so itis essential that the related internationalagendas complement and reinforce oneanother if implementation is to be coherentand successful on the ground.A TERRITORIAL APPROACHThe goal of the Habitat III Conference onHousing and Sustainable Urban Developmentis to draw up a “New Urban Agenda” for UNMember states.13Local and regional governmentsunderstand ‘urban’ in its broadest sense,encompassing everything from small townsto large megacities. Local and regionalgovernments understand that sustainableurban development requires a territorialapproach that understands the dynamic andbidirectional relationship between urbanareas and their wider peri-urban and ruralsurroundings.06THE FIVE DIMENSIONS OF THE GLOBALAGENDA OF LOCAL AND REGIONALGOVERNMENTSWe have identified five principles that webelieve should guide the development of theNew Urban Agenda:01“Lead local coalitions todevelop a shared vision forthe future of our cities”Elected local leaders are uniquely placedto develop a strategic vision and plan inpartnership with citizens and public and private.02"Put the Right to the City atthe heart of the Agenda"Local and regional governments are on thefrontline of strengthening democracy at locallevel. We are in a unique position to promotecitizen participation in the co-creationof the city, particularly the inclusion andempowerment of women in local public life.
180305“Connect cities and regionsto unlock local potential”“Take a seat at the globaltable and cooperate in aspirit of solidarity”Local and regional governments can useour knowledge of local actors and of theopportunities in our cities and regionsto boost economic development andenvironmental sustainability.04“Drive bottom-up nationaldevelopment”Cities are increasingly the motors of nationaleconomies; promoting innovation, creativityand connectivity in cities and territoriesshould be at the top of every nationalgovernment agenda.Local and regional governments arecommitted to build on our legacy ofdecentralized cooperation and internationalsolidarity. Local and regional governmentsare acting locally to address globalchallenges (climate change, peace-building,development cooperation) and to manage theimpact of global phenomena at local level(the integration of migrants, the mediationof globalizing economic and cultural forces).We can contribute to more transparent andaccountable global governance if we arerecognized as partners in internationaland regional institutions and included ininternational development policies.
Supported by:In the framework of the UCLG-ECStrategic PartnershipWHAT LOCALAND REGIONALGOVERNMENTSBRING TO THEGLOBAL TABLELegitimacy, Experience, Organization#Listen2Cities#Habitat3United Cities and Local Governments
of Local and Regional Governments." UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's message to the meeting of the Global Task Force of Local and Regional Governments in New York on 28 May 2013. Local and regional governments have been active internationally for over a hundred years. The International Union of Local
Without democratic institutions, there is no mechanism for local residents to exercise "voice". Given the hukou registration system, local residents . Chinese local governments also play a much more central role in the local economy than do local governments in the United States, controlling the allocation of land, and .
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Local and regional governments and the institutional frameworks for coordination and following up on the SDGs — page 27 The actions of LRGs and their associations to localize the SDGs in the countries reporting to the 2019 HLPF — page 32 Local and regional government actions, region-by-region — page 42 Abbreviations — page 6
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an overview of service delivery as task of local governments and to make a contribution to improving the delivery of service by local govern-ments. Consideration is given to the importance of service delivery and the various different types of service delivery by local governments. It also looks at networks of citizens and government. Extensive
UCLG Policy Paper 4 The Role of Local Governments in Territorial Economic Development 4 1. Introduction 4 1.1 Purpose and context 4 1.2 Why local governments matter to economic development 5 1.3. Characteristics of local economic development (LED) 6 2. LED Enabling Policies 8 2.1 Decentralizing responsibility, authority, and capacity 8 2.2 Creating an enabling environment for LED 9 2.3 .
regional planning process to develop all regional and local plan modifications, though regional planning processes are only required for the development of regional plan modifications as well as any local plan modifications that involve coordination of multiple Local Boards with a
criminal case process; the philosophies and alterna-tive methods of corrections; the nature and processes of treating the juvenile offender; the causes of crime; and the role of government and citizens in finding solutions to America’s crime problems. 2. Develop, state, and defend positions on key issues facing the criminal justice system, including the treatment of victims, police-community .
