The Policy Forum on Development (PFD) is a space for multi-stakeholder dialogue on EU and global development policies. It brings together senior officials from the European Commission, representatives of the European Parliament, European Members States and local and regional authorities, as well as a wide representation of civil society organizations from different regions of the world. The PFD is contributing to setting the bases for a strategic partnership between the EU and local and regional authorities.
The 2nd PFD took place in Brussels on 1-2 October, hosted by the Committee of the Regions. The delegation of local and regional authorities was composed of fifteen elected officials and representatives of local and regional governments from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and MEWA, including the Co-President of UCLG, Ms. Jacqueline Moustache-Belle, who co-chaired the Forum, and the Secretary General of UCLG, Josep Roig.
The agenda of the PFD was focused on the EU and the Post-2015 Agenda, and included a session on the place of urbanization within this agenda. The PFD also addressed the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation, creating an Enabling Environment for Local Authorities and Civil Society Organizations in developing countries, and the EU development programmes.
In the opening ceremony, Ms. Jacqueline Moustache-Belle, Mayor of Victoria and Co-president of UCLG, speaking on behalf all local authority organizations, thanked the European Commission (EC) and called for the continuity and strengthening of the partnership initiated between local authorities and the new Commission, which is currently being nominated. She stressed that 2015 is a once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity for transformational change and recalled the strong engagement of local and regional authorities in the debate on the Post-2015 Agenda
During the different debates, the President of the Council of the Rabat-Salé region (Morocco), Mr. Abdelkebir Berkia, and the Governor of the District of Leer (Germany), Mr Bernhard Bramlag, who also represents PLATFORMA, called on the European Commission and Member States to support local authorities and CSOs in their wish to speak and be heard during the next phase of intergovernmental negotiations on the Post-2015 Agenda.
In the session on ‘Urbanization and the Post-2015 Agenda’, both the Governor of Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo), Mr. André Kimbuta, and the Mayor of Oisterwijk (The Netherlands), Mr Hans Janssen, asked the EC, the EU Member States and CSO representatives to support the stand-alone goal on ‘inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and human settlements’, included in the final proposal of the UN Open Working Group for the Sustainable Development Goals, and to work together on the localization of this agenda.
The Mayor of Sabana del Mar (Dominican Republic), Ms Aura Saldana, participated in the session on the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC) on behalf FLACMA. She commented on the role of GPEDC and its links with the UN Development Cooperation Forum in the framework of the post-2015 process.
The second day saw the debate on the ‘Enabling Environment’, during which both the EC and EU Member States – represented by the Dutch Government – as well as CSOs and local and regional authorities, presented the actions established to implement the commitments adopted three years ago during the Structured Dialogue, which aimed to promote dialogue and create a conducive environment for local actors, and explore possible future actions. It was decided to make this issue a permanent topic on the PFD agenda.
During the last part of the Forum, the EC presented its programmes related to Global Public Goods and Challenges, the implementation of new financial instruments and the Annual Action Plan 2014-2015 for local authorities and CSOs.
The third day of the PFD continued with a special session on the private sector’s role in development.
For local and regional authorities from European and partner countries, the PFD was a key space to strengthen the dialogue with the European Commission, with whom the main global and regional networks – UCLG, UCLGA, PLATFORMA, AIMF and CLGF – are currently discussing a global partnership for the next three years.
- Read the final note of the 2nd PFD on Brussels.
- Please click here for more information about the PFD.
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