Central Africa takes its points to the next Afrikaans Summit in Kenya

The work of the Regional Caucasus for the Central Africa Region of the Pan-Africa Organization of the United States and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) was closed on October 26 in Libreville, Gabon, at the request of ministers. , Mayors. Governors representing many African cities in the region. The meeting is the first in a series of regional meetings organized in preparation for the 9th Afrikaans Summit scheduled for May 17-21, 2022 in Kisumu, Kenya, during which the elected General Assembly will be held on May 20, 2022. UCLG is scheduled to elect full and alternative members of the governing bodies of Africa.

Held in Libreville from 25 to 26 October 2021, the Regional Caucasus of the United States for Central Africa and the Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa).

Each country was invited to be represented by the President and Permanent Secretary of the National Association of Local Authorities, the President of the National Chapter of the Locally Elected Women’s Network in Africa (REFELA), and the Representative People’s Local Africa (YELO) network of elected youth.

Five of the seven countries in the region participated in face-to-face work (Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo, Gabon and Chao-Dom-and-Principe) and two via video conference (Democratic Republic of Congo and Chad).

The Libreville meeting is the first in a series of regional caucuses organized in preparation for the 9th Afrikaans Summit scheduled for May 17-21, 2022 in Kisumu, Kenya, in which the elected General Assembly will take place on May 20, 2022. It is planned during this process to select full and alternative members of UCLG Africa’s governing bodies.

This Serap Ibuwanka, Representative of the Minister of State, began the proceedings with his speech in the presence of the Minister of the Interior of Gabon. Mathias Otounga Ossibadjouo, Minister of Local Government, Development and Regional Planning, Christine Emba, Mayor of Libreau and President of UCLG Africa, Mary Franசois DiCumbaJean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Governor of L’Estuaire and Secretary General of UCLG Africa.

During a speech by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Gabon promised to establish the UCLG Africa Regional Office for Central Africa (CARO) in Libreville and to sign the agreement soon with the Headquarters Reporter. During a conference in Malabo in June 2014, the Minister of State renewed his commitment to ratifying the African Charter on the values ​​and principles of decentralization, local administration and local development adopted by the Heads of State and Government of the African Union. Equatorial Guinea and to deposit these instruments with the African Union Commission.

The first day ‘s work was dedicated to updating and informing members of UCLG Africa’s major agenda, and the second day served as a framework for preparing the UCLG Africa’s General Assembly scheduled for 20 May 2022 as part of the Africaities Summit.

Participants learned about the new UCLG Africa Strategy (GADDEPA 2.0) and the 7 priority areas of intervention selected by members of UCLG Africa in the decade 2021-2030, namely: local economy and finance; Climate, biodiversity and food systems; Gender and youth; Access to basic and SDG services; இடம்பெயர்வு; Culture, peace and security.

Participants were also briefed on UCLG Africa implementation efforts in connection with the creation of the Trombino-UCLG Africa Platform to ensure the best presence of continental regional communities on the Internet; Agencies Territorial Africa (ATA), a financial vehicle that allows African local authorities to access the financial markets; 01 Talent Partnership, which prepares communities to initiate digital transformation through an ambitious training program for young people in the computer coding industry; Partnership with the Green Climate Fund to acquire the status of a recognized regional agency for the Green Climate Fund to facilitate access to climate funding by local authorities; And the organization of the celebration of the capitals of African culture.

Christine Emba, Mayor of Libreville and President of UCLG Africa

Participants received a communication on the problem of so-called invisible children because they were unidentified. This problem is particularly worrying because of the drastic consequences for civil status, identity and citizenship, and the planning of development activities. A partnership has been established between UCLG Africa and the Emergency Identity Foundation to address this problem at the level of cities and territories in Africa.

Another highlight of the Caucasus was the discussion of the presence of Central African local authorities at the Afrikaans Summit.

The discussion was introduced by the report of the Kenyan delegation on the status of preparations for the summit. Following the clarification of the theme of the summit, “United Nations Agenda 2030 and Union Agenda 2063. The Role of Africa’s Intermediate Cities in Africa’s Action”; And learning about the structure of the summit, a series of sessions on the one hand and the Africities Fair on the other.

There is a difference between the themed sessions organized during the first 3 days of the summit and the political sessions organized during the last 2 days of the summit; Sessions also include a series of special events in the form of “days”.

Thematic Sessions The theme of the summit and the strategies and alliances to be implemented should be developed so that intermediate cities can play the role they expect. These sessions make recommendations to elected officials and development partners of ministers, mayors, leaders and local authorities.

Political sessions include a meeting of ministers, a meeting of mayors and leaders of local authorities, and a meeting of development partners, as well as a tripartite political dialogue meeting between ministers, mayors and local authorities’ leaders and development partners. To this end, participants were invited to think about 5 questions that mayors and leaders of local authorities would like to ask ministers on the one hand, and development partners on the other.