General Assembly 2016 Bogota, 14 October 2016 16:00 – 17:30 Corferias Convention Centre Gran Salón #UCLGCongress GENERAL ASSEMBLY BOGOTÁ, 14 OCTOBER 2016 16:00-17:30 Item 1 For adoption DRAFT AGENDA 1. Adoption of the agenda 2. Report from the President on UCLG activities and policy priorities 3. The Peace Prize 4. Report of the Committee on Statutory Affairs on Sections’ nominations for the World Council and appointment of the UCLG World Council 5. Highlights of the activities of the Regional and Metropolitan Sections by the UCLG Vice-Presidents GENERAL ASSEMBLY BOGOTÁ, 14 OCTOBER 2016 16:00-17:30 Item 2 For information REPORT FROM THE PRESIDENT ON UCLG ACTIVITIES 2013-2016 Summary and recommendations This document presents and highlights the major milestones and achievements of the World Organization from 2013 to 2016. It is not an exhaustive document, but features some of the main highlights of the World Organization over the three past years. A full-fledged and detailed report for 2015 is available and a report for 2016 will be published next year. This triennial report showcases in particular the relevance of the agreement with the European Union and the achievements within the framework of the New Urban Agenda and towards Habitat III. The General Assembly is invited to: 1. Take note of the report from the President on UCLG activities. GENERAL ASSEMBLY BOGOTA, 14 OCTOBER 2016 16:00-17:30 Item 2 – Annex 1 TRIENNIAL REPORT OF THE PRESIDENCY 2013-2016 MAIN ACTIVITIES HIGHLIGHTS FROM RABAT TO BOGOTA This document highlights the major milestones and achievements of the World Organisation from 2013 to 2016. The triennial report follows the logic of the strategic priorities of the World Organisation, and its four main pillars: Institutional Relations and Advocacy, Intelligence, Strengthening the Network, Leadership and Governance, Cooperation and Learning. CONTENTS: I. INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS AND ADVOCACY II. INTELLIGENCE III. STRENGTHENING THE NETWORK, LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE IV. COOPERATION AND LEARNING I.INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS AND ADVOCACY UCLG is, by nature, an organization that aims at the broad representation of local and regional governments. This pillar has seen special activity during 2013-2016 due to the various international policy processes that have converged in this period. AN UNPRECEDENTED constituency before the international community. AGREEMENT WITH THE The GTF pioneered the movement pushing for EUROPEAN UNION the integration of the Post-2015 development process and the follow up of the Rio+20 As a result of the structured dialogue with Conference on sustainable development, the European Commission over the past few originally conceived as two separate years, and the Communication on international agendas. It also continues to call Strengthening Local Authorities in 2013, for links between the SDGs and the Habitat UCLG has been recognized as the key III and the Financing for Development representative institution of local and agendas. regional authorities. Discussions culminated in the signature of a A GOAL ON CITIES IN THE Strategic Partnership between both 2030 AGENDA institutions. The partnership is based on shared strategic The work of UCLG on bringing local voices to priorities, including support for ongoing the global debates on the sustainable decentralization reform processes; the development agenda culminated with the capacity development of local authorities; adoption of the 2030 Agenda in 2015. As sustainable urbanization; and the facilitator of the Global Taskforce, UCLG has reinforcement of associations of local not only successfully campaigned for the authorities operating at national, continental inclusion of a goal on cities and human and international levels. It aims to empower settlements (SDG 11), we have advocated local authorities in partner countries for for the localization of all 17 goals of the enhanced governance and more effective agenda, pointing out that all goals have development outcomes. targets that are local responsibilities, and highlighting the potential of local The acknowledgement of UCLG as a strategic leaders to transform abstract goals into partner of the European Union is a recognition action on the ground. of the work carried out at global level by the international municipal movement. This UCLG and the Global Taskforce participated, partnership is also an important incentive to via the Local Authorities Major Group, in the strengthen UCLG as a network of networks. It monthly Post-2015 Intergovernmental supports our responsibility to develop and Negotiations. In this and other fora, we expand this movement, which is associative, advocated for the inclusion of SDG 11 on inclusive, plural, and built on local democracy. Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements, the localization of the implementation and monitoring of all goals and targets, THE CONSOLIDATION OF disaggregated territorial indicators, the THE GLOBAL TASKFORCE essential role of urban-rural linkages in territorial development, the need to improve disaster risk management at local level, and From 2013 to 2016, UCLG has continued to for a stronger recognition of local and coordinate and amplify the political voice of regional authorities in the New Global local and regional governments in the Partnership for Sustainable Development. consultations and debates on the 2030 Agenda through the Global Taskforce (GTF), Our advocacy work culminated with the 2015 which has seen its position as the main Sustainable Development Summit, where the convener of international local and regional 2030 Agenda was adopted. Sixty elected local government networks consolidated during the officials from around the world went to New past year. The Global Taskforce is currently York as part of the local and regional acknowledged as the reference point for the government delegation, to celebrate the advocacy and representation of our inclusion of SDG 11 and highlight the role of participation of local government networks in local and regional governments in the the United Nations Advisory Committee for achievement of all 17 goals. Local Authorities (UNACLA), and especially during the three PrepComs of Habitat III. UCLG drew up concrete proposals for localized indicators for SDG 11 and other SDGs with a UCLG, on behalf of the Global Taskforce and strong local dimension. The proposals called in coordination with partners, was appointed for targets and indicators that are suitable for by the Secretary General of the Conference to both urban and rural contexts. UCLG used this co-lead the Policy Unit on Urban Governance, report to provide inputs to the UNSDSN Capacity and Institutional Development with indicator report and the UN Statistical LSE Cities. UCLG gathered experts and the Commission’s technical report on indicators. networks to agree on the contributions. Most of the proposals for SDG 11 indicators have been included in the UN Statistical Building on the First World Assembly of Cities Commission recommendations. and Local Authorities, organized in the framework of Habitat II in 1996, where local During 2015 and 2016, we reiterated authorities committed to build UCLG as the commitment of local and regional a “single voice for local governments and their governments to actively contribute to the associations”, the constituency offered to implementation of the 2030 Agenda, organize the Second World Assembly of emphasizing the direct relevance of all 17 Local and Regional Governments through SDGs to the daily responsibilities of local the Global Taskforce. authorities. It is estimated that 65% of the SDG targets relate to local and regional The Second Assembly is the process and governments. coordination mechanism through which our constituency will participate in the formal LOCAL AND REGIONAL Habitat III process. It will aim to orientate our positions and inputs to the New Urban GOVERNMENTS Agenda. The proposal of organizing the Second Assembly has been recognized by the ACKNOWLEDGED AND Bureau of Habitat III. The Second Assembly REINFORCED IN THE NEW met in New York in May, in Bogota in October and in Quito during Habitat III. URBAN AGENDA An enhanced agenda before the UN In 2016, the advocacy work of UCLG and the system Global Taskforce has turned to the New Urban Agenda to be adopted at Habitat III in Quito in October 2016. It is important to UNACLA: Following a proposal made by the highlight the role of Habitat III as the first Chair of UNACLA, Dr. Kadir Topbas, also UCLG implementation conference after the President, a new structure for UNACLA was adoption of the 2030 Agenda, and the adopted in 2014. The new structure highlights importance of strengthening the links the global and regional membership of the between SDG 11 and the New Urban organization and enables local government Agenda. associations to be more hands on in contributing to global policies and designing With the role of urbanization and cities in sustainable structures. development now widely recognized, UCLG continues to advocate for a territorial ECOSOC: As an outcome of Rio+20 and the approach to development, taking into ECOSOC reform, a new segment has been account both urban centres and their created within the UN Economic and Social Council to include policy feedback from surrounding regions and rural areas. different actors in the UN deliberations, and to discuss transversal topics of relevance to the An organized constituency, ready to sustainability agenda. The first session of this contribute kind was devoted to Sustainable Urbanization was