The Sustainable Development Goals, the impact of COVID-19 and how local and regional governments are pioneering in many ways, was at the heart of the conference jointly organised by the German presidency of the EU and PLATFORMA, together with the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Engagement Global and Service Agency on 2 November.

The one-day conference “Together for the 2030 Agenda – Municipalities as trailblazers for global sustainable development” brought together European, national and local representatives for fruitful exchanges under different formats. This was the first time an EU presidency was organising such event with representatives of local and regional governments.

A real dialogue between EU and African local elected officials took place between Richmond Yeboah, on behalf of Hon. Ernest Arthur, Mayor of Cape Coast (Ghana), Rohey Malick Lowe, Mayor of Banjul (Gambia), Katja Dörner, recently elected Mayor of the city of Bonn (Germany) and Hans Janssen, Mayor of Oisterwijk (Netherlands). The four of them underlined the added value of decentralised cooperation and city partnerships.

Among the other key speakers were Norbert Barthle, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ – Germany), Anna Lixi, Team Leader at the European Commission Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO) on behalf of Carla Montesi, Director for Planet and Prosperity or Emilia Sáiz, secretary-general of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) on behalf of Mohamed Boudra, Mayor of the City of Al Hoceima (Morocco) and President of UCLG.

Vaida Aleknaviciene, Deputy Mayor of Joniškis and PLATFORMA Spokesperson of the Lithuanian association of local authorities (ALAL) and MEP Viola von Cramon-Taubadel (Greens/European Free Alliance, Germany) who sits in the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) were among the speakers in the afternoon breakout sessions coordinated by PLATFORMA and Engagement Global.

Prof Dr Stefan Siedentop from the Research institute for Regional and Urban Development (ILS) also made a fascinating presentation on Sustainable development in times of Corona and how cities and regions should adapt.

More:

• Read the article by Engagement Global
• Check the live coverage of the event on Twitter below or here: 

Today’s conference “Together for the #2030Agenda
“Municipalities as trailblazers for global sustainable development” with @EU2020DE is starting!

With @EngGlobal & @BMZ_Bund https://t.co/AZp3BCYWcC #EU2020DE #localgov #SDGs pic.twitter.com/HqteWuRhn0

— PLATFORMA (@Platforma4Dev) November 19, 2020