Local and regional democracy beyond Europe: outreach of Congress

On 15 October 2024, the Congress debated the situation of local and regional democracy around the world and the relevance of the European Charter of Local Self-Government for inspiring decentralisation processes in non-member states.

Addressing the 47th session, Congress Vice-President Gunn Marit Helgesen (Norway, EPP/CCE) presented the Outcome Statement adopted in September by the UN Forum of Mayors – chaired by Congress member Danela Arsovska, Mayor of Skopje (North Macedonia) – and endorsed by the Congress Bureau the day before the debate. Referring to Congress Recommendation 511 on “The UN Pact for the future: the essential role of local and regional authorities in global sustainable development”, the Outcome Statement called for granting local and regional governments a special status within the United Nations and for formalising their dialogue with the UN political bodies, to foster the decentralisation of power, decision-making and resource management worldwide.

Vice-President Helgesen highlighted the recent Congress co-operation with global partners in promoting multilevel governance and its contribution to the UN High-Level Political Forum in New York, the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development in Geneva and the Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments set up by the UN Secretary-General.

A guest speaker in the debate, Sami Kanaan, former Mayor of Geneva and President of the Global Cities Hub, insisted on the need for local and regional authorities to have a more institutionalised role in global decision-making processes and welcomed the Congress cooperation with the Forum of Mayors, pointing out that it was the only official and recognised body allowing mayors to sit in their own capacity within the UN.

Noting that Europe was one of the most decentralised world regions where local democracy was accepted as a core value – thanks to the European Charter of Local Self-Government – other guest speakers, from non-European countries, emphasised considerable advantages offered by strong local self-government and the crucial role of decentralisation of power, also for ensuring citizens’ participation in political decisions. Deputy Mayor of Rabat (Morocco) Rahima Ouzzani Taibi and member of the Regional Council of Nouakchott (Mauritania) Ahmed Salem Ahmed Dekle, as well as Deputy Mayor of Athens (Greece) Georgios Giannaros shared their experiences of practicing local self-government in their countries.

Video recording