In the framework of the project LADDER and of its General Assembly in Paris, ALDA launched a special initiative titled ‘’Capitalisation of the European Year for Development: The added value of Decentralised Cooperation to promote local governance’’.
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The event, organized by ALDA in cooperation with the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the Art Initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and with the French Association of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (AFCCRE), was aimed at capitalizing and consolidating the lessons learned from the European Year for Development 2015, within the new development framework: the 2030 Global Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). What are the next steps seen from the perspective of local authorities working together with civil society to face the challenge of SDGs implementation at local level? A series of speakers representing institutions, local authorities, and civil society participated and stimulated debate on the topic.
Local Authorities (LAs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSO) are major stakeholders for development. Having a considerable potential to reach out to citizens and create impact and a change in development policies and practices, they shall be recognized and their actions supported. Furthermore, the local level has been recognized a key element, as “localizing development” in the Sustainable Development Goals.
At the same time, innovative approaches are needed to enable international cooperation to tackle SDGs. The event showcased decentralised cooperation as a powerful tool to foster global action for peace building, social cohesion and sustainable development, by stimulating action on the implementation of the SDGs at local level.
The event was opened with the words of Bertrand Fort, Delegate for the external action of local authorities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France, and it led to the adoption of recommendation on the promotion of decentralized cooperation as a tool for development and good governance.
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