Council confirms: Towns and regions have a key role to play in the implementation of the SDGs

The development of stronger and inclusive partnerships with other development actors, including local governments, is explicitly mentioned in yesterday (8 July) Council of the European Union’s conclusions on “supporting the Sustainable Development Goals across the world”.

Yesterday, on the first day of the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in New-York, the Council welcomed the publication of the first joint synthesis report of the EU and its Member States on  »Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals across the world ».

On paragraph 9, Ministers write: “The Council also appreciates that the EU and its Member States have tailored development cooperation to different countries’ circumstances, have worked better together, have taken innovative approaches and have developed stronger and inclusive partnerships with other development actors, including multilateral organisations, civil society, youth, local authorities and the private sector.”

PLATFORMA is very pleased by this specific mention of towns and regions. In January, Marlène Siméon, director of PLATFORMA, was taking the floor at the event “Implementing the SDGs through EU Development Policy: the Joint Synthesis Report” co-organised by the European Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee. She highlighted how local and regional governments, together with their associations, are taking the lead in the implementation and monitoring of the SDGs in Europea and with their peers in the world.

Next week, a delegation of 16 elected officials representing PLATFORMA will attend the 2019 HLPF. This delegation includes Presidents of Region, Mayors and Councillors from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden will be on site from 15 to 18 July.

On the occasion of the HLPF, PLATFORMA and CEMR have published an infographic on how associations of towns and regions are drivers for change in localising the SDGs. This document is based on the main findings of a study to be published by mid-September and of the Global Taskforce of local and regional governments’ global report (to be published on Monday 15/07).

(Picture: © European Union)