World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments
World Assembly of Local
and Regional Governments
The Global Taskforce convenes the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments, the joint voice of local and regional leaders from around the world. The Assembly builds on the legacy of the First World Assembly of Cities and Local Authorities (WACLA), held just before the Habitat II Conference in Istanbul in 1996. More than 500 mayors participated in WACLA, highlighting the vital role of local government in urban development and calling for a permanent structure to coordinate their partnership with the UN. This led to the creation of both UCLG and the UN Advisory Committee on Local Authorities (UNACLA).
The Second World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments was the mechanism through which the local and regional government constituency brought its political voice to the Habitat III processes, providing inputs from local and regional leaders on the New Urban Agenda.
In a landmark achievement for our constituency, the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments is acknowledged in the New Urban Agenda adopted at the Third UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III).
Significantly, paragraph 169 calls for continued collaboration with the World Assembly in the follow-up and review of the New Urban Agenda:
“We note the importance of continuing to engage in the follow-up and review of the New Urban Agenda with sub-national and local governments associations represented at the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments”. It is the aspiration of the constituency to ensure that the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments, convened by the Global Taskforce, will continue to play a key role as the political voice of local and regional governments in the follow-up and review of the New Urban Agenda.”
BEYOND THE QUITO AGENDA
Following the agreements of Quito and the successful edition of the II World Assembly, both the political and the technical consultation mechanism can continue to play an important role to enhance joint action beyond the Habitat Agenda. In particular, the following issues have been identified:
Localization of 2030 Agenda, Climate Action, Biodiversity, Migration, Resilience and Financing for Development.
The World Assembly should constitute a political dialogue mechanism between national governments and local and regional authorities and be a privileged interlocutor for the UN and other international partners.
Article 8 acknowledges the local and regional government constituency’s contributions throughout the Habitat III process:
“We acknowledge the contributions of national governments, as well as the contributions of sub-national and local governments, in the definition of the New Urban Agenda and take note of the second World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments”.
Resolutions and decisions on the role of the World Assembly Post-Habitat III
Following the successful edition of the Second World Assembly, both it and the Global Taskforce continue to play an important role to enhance joint action.
1 The World Assembly shall constitute the follow-up mechanism, providing a dialogue platform between national governments and local and regional authorities and being a privileged interlocutor for the UN and other international partners.
2 It shall meet once a year to follow the annual reporting mechanisms set up for Member States.
3 UCLG, on behalf of the Global Taskforce, shall convene each ordinary session, at least three months in advance and with the agreement of all partners.
4 The networks that form part the Global Taskforce will disseminate the information among their members and contribute to preparations.
5 Participants will continue to register through their international associations of local governments that form part of the Global Taskforce.
6 Additional sessions: Members may convene extraordinary thematic sessions with the consensus of the Global Taskforce members.
7 The aim of the Assembly is to contribute to the implementation debates of the New Urban Agenda with Member States and the International Community.
8 The Assembly will orchestrate the presentation of the key policy positions of the local and regional government’s constituency.
9 The Assembly will agree upon key messages by consensus, which will originate from the Global Taskforce.