EU-Africa Summit: the place of local and regional authorities in the
new policy on partnership
Lisbon, 7th December 2007
1. On the occasion of the 2nd EU-Africa Summit, which brings together the Heads
of States and governments of the member states of the European Union and the
African Union in Lisbon on 8 and 9 December, United Cities and Local
Governments (UCLG) and its African and European sections (UCLG-Africa and
the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, respectively) call on the
Heads of State of the European Union and African Union, as well as the
Presidents of the European Commission and the Commission of African Union,
to highlight the role of local and regional authorities in the new policy on
partnership.
2. The local and regional authorities of Africa and Europe hail the ambitions of the
States to use this new strategy to build a wider and more democratic
partnership. They recognise the importance of the strategic priorities defined in
the Joint African-European Union Strategy. However, in agreement with the
parliamentarians and representatives of non-governmental organisations, they
do ask that the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, including
the struggle against poverty, the defence of human rights, gender equality and
access to basic services, be placed at the centre of the Joint Strategy’s Action
Plan.
3. They also request that the growing role played by local authorities in democratic
governance and development cooperation be given greater recognition in the
Joint Strategy. In effect, in major documents such as the revised Cotonou
Agreement and the DCI, the European Union has already committed itself to
systematically involve local and regional authorities in EU development
aid strategy design processes, particularly in Africa. Local authorities are
keen to recall this commitment and would like to see this confirmed in the
framework African-European Union dialogue. Local authorities also believe it is
indispensable to promote models of governance that guarantee the practice of
democracy and respect for human rights at all levels.
4. The Joint Strategy - where the aims and methods of participation in long-term
policy dialogue are defined - makes practically no mention of local authorities.
Meanwhile the ongoing process of decentralisation and urban explosion trends
put local authorities at the centre of current development challenges. Although
local authorities are mentioned in the 2008-2009 Action Plan, their role is
limited to mere policy implementation previously adopted at other levels. Yet
from now on, the EU recognises them as a policy partner which should be
involved prior to making political and strategic choices; this should also be the
case for the African Union.
5. Local authorities are convinced that the construction of a “broader communitybased partnership” as called for by the EU and Africa should be based on the
wider participation of local communities in the dialogue vis-à-vis the design,
implementation and monitoring of the Joint Strategy.
6. Mechanisms and means should be clearly defined to allow for a better
structured and systematic participation, in particular in Africa where the
organisations of the local authorities are more recent or even in the process of
consolidation or, in same cases, of establishment. Local and regional authorities
should therefore take a full part in the policy monitoring mechanism of the Joint
Strategy to be put in place by the Heads of State and Governments in Lisbon.
7. The partnership between European local and regional authorities and their
African counterparts should cover all of the goals of the Action Plan, and in
particular the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, in order to
support the coordination anticipated in the 2005 Paris Declaration on aid
effectiveness.
8. In accordance with the goals set by the United Nations and the OECD, the
States should respect their pledges to increase the amount of Official
Development Assistance in order to contribute thereby to the Millennium
Development Goals, particularly in Africa, within the agreed timeframes. UCLG
also proposes to promote the strengthening of the engagement of local
government in decentralised cooperation, in partnership with the States, the
European Union and the African Union.