Decentralised cooperation and COVID-19: a common local agenda that puts people at the centre

The second webinar of the cycle “COVID-19 and decentralised cooperation” organised by AL-Las and the Observatory of Decentralised Cooperation – a joint initiative of the Government of the Province of Barcelona and the city of Montevideo -, took place the 12th May under the title “The role of decentralised cooperation before the crisis activated by the COVID-19”.

This space brought together local and regional authorities from Europe and Latin America and international experts to address, from the local perspective: how international cooperation and decentralised cooperation, in particular, have contributed to the COVID-19 crisis management and how to reinforce the response capacity of local governments before the challenges posed by the COVID-19 through decentralised cooperation, as well as the alliances and the topics that should be in the international and local agenda of local governments.

These main conclusions of the debate were:

1. Decentralised cooperation has played an effective role since the very beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, facilitating the knowledge and experiences exchange, as well as prospective exercises and the exchange of material and resources, thanks to the long-term tradition of local government international action.
2. The COVID-19 has pushed international networks and alliances of local governments to identify synergies and mutual cooperate in order to offer better services to their membership.
3. The common agenda of local governments post-COVID, to be reinforced at international level, should focus on issues such as inequalities, rights (digital rights, right to privacy, political rights, rights of migrant people…), gender, the relationship between public health – environment – economy and governance but, above all, it has to put people at the centre.
4. The lobby strategy at international level of local governments should focus on concrete needs at local level such as public transport, sustainable food, urban violence and local finances. In addition, the lobby strategy should be targeted to the spaces of real power where decisions are taken.
5. Global agendas such as the 2030 Agenda remain in force and the COVID-19 pandemic con contribute to accelerate the transformations highlighted in these agendas in favour of sustainable development.

Watch the debate in video.

The third webinar will take place the 26th of May under the title “Perspectives for post-COVID19 decentralised cooperation between the European Union and Latin America”.

For more information: cycle of debates on COVID-19 and decentralised cooperation.