GM promotes decentralized cooperation as one response to poverty and land degradation

The World Alliance of Cities Against Poverty (WACAP) unites cities that mobilize all sectors of society - from individuals to governments - to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and in particular MDG1: to halve extreme poverty and hunger by 2015. It does so by promoting and developing cooperation and partnerships between municipalities and other stakeholders: civil society, governments, businesses, universities, United Nations agencies, and non-governmental organizations that can potentially reduce poverty or minimize its effects at the local level.

 

The Sixth WACAP Forum, held in Athens from 26 to 28 March 2008, addressed the theme of “Deepening local democratic governance to eradicate poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)". This international event, in which the Global Mechanism (GM) actively participated, was a unique opportunity to exchange good management practices at community level, become acquainted with new social initiatives, make new contacts and promote partnership building and resource mobilization for the MDGs.

 

The forum discussed issues which were particularly in harmony with the GM’s approach. These included solidarity-based and social economies, multi-actor partnerships for local development, empowerment of deprived populations, partnerships between cities from developed, less developed and least developed countries, and cities and climate change.

 

The GM took this opportunity to share the results of the Experts' Consultation Meeting held in Tripoli (Libya) in November 2007 on "Desertification, Migration and Local Development’’ and to meet and share ideas with local and municipal representatives from all over the world.

 

The GM shared its findings during a round table on "Migration, Human Rights and Local Development”, highlighting the importance and scope of forced environmental migration in the Sahel-Sahara region and the need to respond to this challenge by increasing investments in arid zones.

 

It also highlighted the crucial role played by local actors and local communities, in sustainable development at the local level and supported cooperation between cities to combat poverty, underlining how enhanced decentralized cooperation can complement intergovernmental cooperation.

 

For more information:

 

Junior Programme Officer, North Africa & South-to-South Cooperation

Tel. +39 06 5459 2548

i.chaalala (at) global-mechanism.org