Towns, cities and regions call for stronger partnership in advancing the Global Gateway
International networks of towns, cities and regions have issued a joint Declaration yesterday [10 December 2025] in Brussels, calling for a stronger and more structured involvement of local governments in the implementation of the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy. Representing thousands of towns, cities, regions, and local government associations worldwide, the signatories stress that partnering with local and regional governments (LRGs) is essential to ensure the legitimacy, sustainability, and long-term impact of Global Gateway investments.
This Declaration was handed over on behalf of the signatories by Joseph Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City (Belize) and Chairperson of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF), to Koen Doens, Director-General at the European Commission Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), during the Plenary Session of the Committee of the Regions, marking the end of the 3-day “Cities and Regions for International Partnerships” 2025 Forum.
Local and regional governments are recognised by the EU as distinct development actors and play a central role in shaping inclusive economic growth, delivering public services, and connecting communities to global opportunities. Their leaders warn that without systematic engagement of towns, cities and regions, Global Gateway projects risk missing their full development potential.
A joint call for a more inclusive Global Gateway
The declaration is signed by the leaders of four major global networks of local and regional governments:
- Frédéric Vallier, General Delegate, International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF)
- Fabrizio Rossi, Secretary General, Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) – PLATFORMA
- Lucy Slack, Secretary General, Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF)
- Emilia Saiz, Secretary General, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)
Together, they call on EU institutions, partner countries, and development actors to recognise towns, cities and regions as co-creators of the enabling environment needed for sustainable, inclusive and democratic investment.
Quotes
“It is critical that local governments are around the table in the context of investments being made through Global Gateway. After all, we are responsible for all development in our territories, and should be recognized as partners in planning and delivery,” Joseph Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City (Belize) and Chairperson of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) stressed in his speech.
“Local and regional governments should be involved in the designing phase of the Global Gateway. As CEMR and PLATFORMA, we see ourselves as the enabling institutions and we are there to harvest learning and data, to monitor and evaluate the actions,” CEMR Secretary General Fabrizio Rossi earlier said during the Forum.
“Decentralised cooperation is a real lever for solidarity and development that serves the interests of local communities. However, it can only be effective if decentralisation itself is effective and if our local authorities have secure financial and human resources. The Global Gateway is an important opportunity to support us in this regard,” Dieudonné Bantsimba, Mayor of Brazzaville, Vice-President of the AIMF.
“The mobilisation of our members at the Forum of Cities and Regions shows the strong commitment of local and regional governments to cooperation and city diplomacy. Yet the localization of the Global Gateway will only be possible if local governments are fully recognized as strategic partners,” Emilia Saiz, UCLG Secretary General
“Towns, cities and regions are the link between investments and citizens. As first ports of call to citizens, they bring legitimacy, ownership and long-term sustainability to Global Gateway projects,” the signatories emphasise.
“Local and regional governments are indispensable partners for making the Global Gateway a strategy that truly works for people,” the signatories stress.
Towns and regions: Essential partners for sustainable impact
In their declaration, associations of local and regional governments highlight that LRGs hold wide-ranging mandates across Global Gateway priority sectors, including digitalisation, climate and energy, transport, health, education and research. By grounding investments in local realities, they ensure projects respond to the needs and priorities of communities, reinforce policy coherence, and foster inclusive economic ecosystems involving SMEs, investors, CSOs, academic institutions and citizens.
The declaration also underscores the decisive role of local governments in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, where they are often the only functioning public institutions capable of coordinating local stakeholders and delivering basic services.
Key recommendations to strengthen the Global Gateway
To unlock the full potential of local authorities as partners for sustainable investment, the signatories put forward three main recommendations:
- Engage directly with local governments and give them direct access to funding within Global Gateway investments.
This includes dedicated calls for proposals, tailored evaluation criteria, specific funding streams similar to the former “Partnerships for Sustainable Cities” programme, and country-level mechanisms to ensure structured dialogue between EU Delegations, Teams Europe and LRGs. - Ensure systematic involvement of governments in all phases of Global Gateway projects.
Clear guidance should be provided to EU Delegations and Teams Europe to meaningfully include local authorities in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes. - Support national associations and international networks of local governments.
These organisations—signatories of Framework Partnership Agreements with the EU since 2015—are crucial in coordinating LRG participation, sharing knowledge, and scaling innovations across borders.
Read the full Declaration.
Read PLATFORMA note on Global Gateway.
Photo: © European Union 2025 / Emile Windal