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‘Local Governments Will Remain Indispensable to Meet Challenges of Our Time’, Says Deputy Secretary-General, in Remarks to World Assembly

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks to the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments, in New York today:

It is my privilege to address the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments, on the eve of the UN Summit of the Future next week.  We gather at a moment of multiple crises, rising inequalities and growing distrust with concrete manifestations in communities and people’s lives.

You stand on the receiving end of a global financial crisis, massive debt burdens, dampened liquidity and rising borrowing costs.  And you are called to provide solutions to people affected by climate chaos and the spectre of conflict and insecurity that ranges from full blown war in your communities, to violent extremism, crime or violence against women.  And that is why your role is so critical.

Cities often show the way.  Cities show the innovation and the determination to make difficult decisions.  We saw this during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Today’s gathering once again demonstrates that you are the engine rooms of innovation and change.

Five years from 2030, your role is essential to moving the needle to put the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) back on track, and with 70 per cent of the world’s population expected to live in cities by 2050, compared to 55 per cent today, mayors and local governments will remain indispensable to meet the challenges of our time.

We need your energy, initiatives and ideas more than ever to make the sustainable development goals real in people’s lives. Around this room, I see representatives from cities and regions, as well as countries, and civil society stakeholders.  Each and every one of you is demonstrating a strong commitment to meeting the moment head on to shape a sustainable world for people and planet. 

As we continue at this halfway mark to 2030, I encourage you to share your experiences of creating SDG impact at the local level.

Local leadership is already driving transformative change. By tackling the climate crisis and creating green jobs.  By fostering digital connectivity to power the local economy and strengthen service delivery and enhancing education.  By improving access to affordable energy.  And by building communities that are more caring, inclusive and equitable.

We are seeing the dividends of your determination in breakthroughs to challenges once considered intractable.  There is still much to be done.  I urge you to build on these successes and spur on the change we need across many fronts.

We need co-created care systems with equitable and accessible services for all.  We need integrated climate solutions for our cities, with energy-efficient housing, electric public transport, climate resilient infrastructure and accessible connectivity. 

We need an empowered local democracy with peace at its core; and we need more resilient communities with early warning systems for disaster prevention.

Following the recent report submitted by the Secretary-General’s Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments, your Assembly could also help identify and shape conditions for further collaboration with the UN, including the Local 2030 Coalition.

Looking to the future, the World Summit on Social Development and Financing for Development Conference, the World Urban Forum, the twenty-ninth UN climate change conference and the G20 Summit offer invaluable opportunities to address the aspirations of local actors and communities.

As we start our countdown to 2030, let’s apply maximum ambition to reach all Sustainable Development Goals and deliver a world that is more prosperous, equal and sustainable for everyone, everywhere.  I wish you productive discussions.

For information media. Not an official record.