The 4th UN Forum of Mayors titled the Cities’ Summit of the Future concluded with great success. It brought together around 400 participants – including more than 50 mayors – from cities and member States from all over the world, various UN entities, other intergovernmental organizations, as well as NGOs and academia. The Forum is in full expansion and its further development will consolidate it as a prime example of inclusive multilateralism where all levels of government collaborate to build a better future for all and leave no one and no place behind.
At the opening of the 4th UN Forum of Mayors, Co-director Duong urged Member States to consider extending the Forum’s mandate and increasing their involvement. The Global Cities Hub (GCH) had supported the Forum from its beginning, recognizing the unique role of mayors in connecting global governance with local communities. For the first time, mayors had a platform within a formal UN body to voice their concerns and offer recommendations directly to Member States. This marked a significant shift, acknowledging the essential role cities play in addressing global challenges. Co-director Duong congratulated the UNECE and its Member States for their work in advancing the Forum, which this year focused on the “Pact for the Future” and its local implications. Speaking alongside notable figures such as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean, and UN-Habitat DED Michal Mlynar, Duong emphasized the importance of these discussions.
Several members of the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments addressed the Forum, namely Paola Pabón, Governor of Pichincha and Fatiha el Moudni, Mayor of Rabat, Morocco. Their participation was highly significant to strengthen the Geneva-New York nexus on this important issue.
The plenary sessions put forward the local relevance of the Pact for the Future:
- Mayors underscored the significant progress made in integrating the SDGs into local development plans, though cities often face resource constraints due to limited decentralization, local tax collection, and access to international funds like the Green Climate Fund. Cities consider innovative financing mechanisms such as public-private partnerships, green bonds, and collaborations with regional development banks.
- On peace and security, urban violence was a central issue, with cities recognizing the need to tackle root causes such as social inequality, unemployment, and poor education. Solutions included preventive approaches through community engagement and multi-disciplinary efforts involving law enforcement, social services, and education, along with fostering social cohesion via cultural and sports activities.
- In terms of digital cooperation, discussions focused on bridging disparities in digital access and literacy. Cities introduced inclusive technological solutions to enhance public services and civic engagement, particularly through collaborations with educational institutions and community groups.
- Regarding youth and future generations, challenges such as limited education and employment opportunities, mental health issues, and brain drain were highlighted. Cities are addressing these through youth councils, education investments, and retention strategies, alongside expanding mental health services and fostering international collaboration.
- Finally, on global governance, mayors echoed barriers in influencing international decision-making due to resource constraints and lack of representation. Strengthening city participation in global forums and building partnerships were proposed to enhance their role in multilateral processes, with the Forum of Mayors seen as a vital platform for advocating city interests globally.
President of the Board of GCH Sami Kanaan emphasized in his intervention at the Forum that the vast majority of issues addressed by States within the UN are relevant at local level, and the agreements reached by States at international level have a concrete impact at local level. He took the example of the pandemics treaty currently being negotiated at the WHO and the plastic pollution treaty also currently negotiated at UNEP. There are various ways and means of intensifying the UN’s engagement with LRGs – he said. Among them the one that already exists is this UN Forum of Mayors. This platform is the only UN body that allows you mayors to act in your own capacity within the UN. The outcome document adopted at the end of the Forum will be forwarded to the meeting of governments and the UN Secretary General. In this outcome document States are encouraged to take action to make the multilateral system more inclusive, notably by creating a specific status for LRGs so that they can participate in the work of the UN. States are also called upon to consider the UN Mayors’ Forum as an effective body for enabling mayors to take an active part in international debates on the localization of the SDGs. He expressed how pleased he was to see the UN Forum of Mayors embracing a global scope, with Mayors from Europe and Central Asia, but also from all the other Regions.
Mayors & Heads of International Organizations
One of the highlights of the Forum was the “High-level meeting of Mayors & Heads of International Organizations.” This meeting brought together mayors and heads of major organizations like UNHCR, UNECE, UNCTAD, and WHO to discuss pressing global challenges with local impacts, including migration, sustainable urbanization, trade, development, urban health, and pandemic preparedness. The meeting allowed mayors to engage directly with global leaders, such as ES Tatiana Molcean, HC Filippo Grandi, ADG Li Ailan and SD Nan Li Collins, and contribute to discussions on how to address these challenges. It also underscored the importance of inclusive multilateralism, where local, national, and global efforts work together to find effective solutions. The “Pact for the Future,” an outcome of the UN Summit of the Future, aimed to reflect this approach.
Triple Planetary Crisis
Another significant event was the “Solutions to a Triple Planetary Crisis in Cities” session, co-organized by GCH, IUCN, and UNECE. This discussion addressed how nature-based solutions in cities could help combat climate change, biodiversity loss, and extreme heat, while also providing benefits such as improved health, job creation, reduced pollution, and access to clean resources. Mr. Stewart Maginnis, Deputy Director General of IUCN, highlighted the potential of nature-based solutions to enhance the resilience and health of cities in a rapidly urbanizing world. Planning sustainable cities to address these crises involved incorporating nature into urban spaces, such as green spaces and tree planting. The UNECE’s Trees in Cities Challenge encouraged mayors to pledge their commitment to sustainable urban forestry. The creation of the Local and Subnational Governments Coalition for the Plastic Pollution Treaty was another significant step, emphasizing the importance of giving local leaders a voice in global environmental negotiations and lead efforts to promote environmental stewardship. The Geneva Environment Network and ICLEI, along with other stakeholders, are working to enhance local and regional government participation in this negotiation, particularly as it progresses to its next stage in Busan next November.
Woman and Mayor
The forum also featured a panel discussion, “Woman and Mayor: Empowering Urban Leadership for Sustainable Futures,” which focused on the often-underrepresented perspectives of women in city leadership. The panel examined how gender-balanced leadership could enhance decision-making, promote inclusivity, and contribute to more effective urban management, ultimately leading to safer and more sustainable cities. Among others the mayor of Skopje Danela Arsovska, the mayor of Lusaka Chitango Chitangala, and leader of the city council of Glasgow Susan Aitken shared their experiences and their visions on how to increase the participation of women in local politics in a meaningful way.
Public-private partnerships
A pre-forum event, organized by GCH in cooperation with the World Economic Forum (WEF), provided a valuable opportunity for mayors to explore challenges and opportunities related to PPPs in advancing sustainable development and financing. Mayor of Quebec Bruno Marchand, WEF Lead Urban Transformation Charlotte Buitboul and Director-General of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce Vincent Subilia added an important layer of understanding of multistakeholder collaboration. While PPPs were typically implemented at the national level, their impact on LRGs was considerable. Financing initiatives for circular economies often relied on PPPs, and the UN played a role in developing evidence-based policies and guidelines to support these efforts. Organizations like the WEF helped cities worldwide redefine themselves, creating new socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable opportunities. Interventions highlighted how local and regional governments could engage more effectively with the private sector and multilateral organizations to promote sustainable financing initiatives.
Voluntary Local Reviews
The forum concluded with a workshop on “Action-Oriented Plans for Implementing Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs)”. Speakers and challengers, including mayor of Klang Noraini Roslan, deputy-mayor of Buenos Aires Maria Clara Muzzio, mayors and representatives from Geneva, Dushanbe, Mafra, Lusaka, and Strasbourg as well as representatives from Switzerland, presented their observations, experiences and comments on why, and how to develop and use most effectively a VLR. It was highlighted that UN Regional commissions, as well as UN-Habitat has developed good practices and guidelines and can be valuable partners. The full-house discussion reconfirmed the importance and added value of a VLR as a process for local self-assessment and future-oriented decision making.
Future steps to the Forum
Overall, the 4th UN Forum of Mayors highlighted the growing importance of cities in global governance and the need for stronger collaboration between local, national, and international stakeholders to address global challenges. Mayors demonstrated their ability to contribute meaningfully to sustainable development efforts. The next edition should be held in 2025 autumn pending decision of the ExCom of the UNECE to extend the Forum as an official UN body. GCH will continue to engage to strengthen inclusive multilateralism through consolidation the Forum. We count on all UN Regional Economic Commissions to continue to cooperate and contribute to its success with invitation of mayors from all over the World. A multi-donor way of funding would improve the Forum by complementing the basic services provided by the UN for broader participation and more inclusive approach.
More and more cities are producing VLRs and VSRs (several hundreds to this day from all over the world) as a tool to contribute to the advancement of the SDGs. The Forum might be the right multilateral platform, similar to HLPF for VNR for states, to allow cities and regions to present and discuss their VLRs and VSRs, in presence and cooperation with UN Member states, UN agencies and organizations being interested in and interesting for cities and regions. This type of exchange would give more space for interactive dialogue, Geneva hosting most of the key International Organizations relevant to the implementation of SDGs.
The outcome document adopted by the Mayors at the Forum is available here.
Video highlights of the UN Forum of Mayors 2024