 | EU programme on development cooperation a step forward for local government 14-11-2007 The European programme "Non state actors and local authorities in development
" marks a first recognition of the role of local and regional authorities in
development cooperation. This is one of the conclusions of the seminar organised
by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), together with the
National Association of Portuguese Municipalities (ANMP), in Lisbon, on 7
November 2007.
Local governments welcomed the European Commission's setting up of the
community programme. However, they called on the European Commission to
guarantee the involvement of the local level in the action plan for the
implementation of the programme.
CEMR's seminar was organised ahead of the EU/Africa Summit to take place in
Lisbon, in December 2007. CEMR and its world organisation, United Cities and
Local Governments (UCLG), will speak on behalf of local and regional government.
They will endeavour to highlight the role played by local government and their
associations in overseas cooperation policies.
The seminar also took place alongside the European Commission's Development
Days, in Lisbon, from 7 to 9 November 2007. This year, the EDD particularly
focused on the impact of climate change on development cooperation and the need
for partnership between all actors involved. Jeremy Smith, CEMR Secretary
General, chaired a session on "Local Authorities, Development and Climate Change
".
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