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Read articles on our activities and inclusive multilateralism in International Geneva

Cities and New Treaty on Plastic Pollution

On 12 January 2023, the Geneva Cities Hub provided a written submission to inform the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee responsible to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution.   Cities and other local governments have significant influence over various parts of the lifecycle of plastics, which will be addressed by the new treaty. Indeed, while cities are …

Geneva Cities Hub and United Cities and Local Governments sign a MoU

In November 2022, the Geneva Cities Hub (GCH) and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), thus formalizing their cooperation in various fields. The MoU affirms among others, that the GCH and UCLG will continue to co-organize events, to cooperate on matters related to Geneva-based international organizations, including UN-related …

Urbanization affects how development cooperation works. It also affects diplomacy.

On 6 December 2022, the Geneva Cities Hub was invited to speak about “Urbanization and climate change: what challenges for the countries from the Global south?” at an event organized by Helvetas.  GCH emphasized that urbanization had not only impacted the way development cooperation works, but also how diplomacy is conducted. Indeed, as cities grow day …

Refugees go to camps for safety, but they go to cities for opportunities

City governments are best placed to leverage their presence into positive economic and social outcomes for their cities. On 6 December 2022, ahead of the High Commissioner for Refugees’ Annual dialogue on protection challenges, the Geneva Cities Hub co-organized an event with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) entitled “Cities for refugees: places …

When business meets human rights at the local level

The 11th annual UN Forum on Business and Human Rights focused on efforts at securing accountability and access to remedy for business-related human rights abuse, in order to accelerate the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on business and human rights (UNGPs). The UNGPs provide a global framework for States and businesses to prevent …

Complex urban crises have become the new normal

Cities at war and in protracted crises was the focus of the Annual meeting of the UCLG Working Group on the territorial prevention and management of crises (28 November 2022), chaired by Mr. Sami Kanaan, Deputy Mayor of Geneva, and President of GCH. In his opening remarks, Mr. Kanaan, reaffirmed that “cities play an increasing …

Annual retreat 2022 of the Geneva Cities Hub

On 9 December 2022, the Geneva Cities Hub will hold its Annual strategic retreat. This year, the retreat will explore what further efforts are necessary to position International Geneva as the main entry point for cities and other local and regional governments (LRGs) in view of an effective and inclusive multilateralism. For that purpose, the …

The role of local authorities in armed conflict: Ukraine situation addressed by UCLG Working Group on territorial prevention and management of crises

On 28 November, Geneva Cities Hub will be partnering with UCLG, Cités Unies France and the City of Geneva to organize the annual meeting of the UCLG Working Group on the territorial prevention and management of crises, chaired by Sami Kanaan, Deputy Mayor of Geneva and President of the Geneva Cities Hub. This year, the …

Municipalities have a unique role to play in the UPR

Municipalities, as well as local and regional governments (LRGs), have a unique role to play in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The Universal Periodic Review of the United Nations Human Rights Council is a peer-review mechanism among States established in 2006. It looks into the human rights record of all UN member States over a …

Interview of Axel Grael, Mayor of Niterói

Mayor of Niterói Axel Grael granted Geneva Cities Hub an interview. This is a follow-up to his participation at the event “Mayors, human rights and the United Nations Universal Periodic Review”, on 15 November 2022, in Geneva. What was the purpose of your visit to Geneva and what was its highlight? I was invited by …