Les villes en tête : Plans d'action pour les VLR

The Global Cities Hub, together with partners and with the support of the Swiss Confederation, held for the 3^rd consecutive year a side event dedicated to Voluntary Local Reviews of cities.

During this 5^th edition of the UN Forum des Maires, over ten cities from across the world gathered for the event, co-organized by Suisse, l' five UN Regional Commissions, l' Ville de Genèveet le Global Cities Hub. The session highlighted the growing role of local and regional governments (LRGs) in advancing the Agenda 2030 pour le développement durable through transparent, data-driven, and participatory review processes.

Opening the session, H.E. Markus Reubi, Swiss Delegate for the Agenda 2030, and H.E. Akram Sa’ud Harahsheh, Permanent Representative of Jordan to the UN in Geneva, gave their national perspectives. They emphasized that VLRs have become a milestone of city diplomacy, bridging local action with national and global commitments. “Cities are where the SDGs come to life,” noted Markus Reubi, highlighting the need for LRGs’ exchanges, integration with national reviewset strong communication with citizens. Ambassador Harahsheh spoke about Jordan’s leadership in fostering collaboration between LRGs and the central government to strengthen SDG implementation, mentioning Jordanian cities pioneering this activity for the region.

From Europe to Africa, Asia, and Latin America, city leaders shared their experiences, sometimes quite personal, in preparing their first or second VLRs. Tatiana Ibrahimovitch (Lugano, Switzerland) showcased the Lugano 2030 Plan and its institutionalized approach to sustainable governance. Deputy Mayor Ziad Rihani (Amman, Jordan) described Amman’s pioneering VLR as an act of solidarity and political trust, supported by universities, local communities, and private partners. Mayor Mustafa Bozbey (Bursa, Türkiye) reflected on how his city had aligned with SDGs even before the 2030 Agenda was adopted, calling for greater global collaboration among cities.

Mr. Ermin Lucino, representing Santa Rosa, Philippines and Mayor Chilando Chitangala (Lusaka, Zambia) emphasized the importance of inclusive data systems and partnerships, particularly for vulnerable groups, and the integration of VLRs into municipal planning and budgeting. Mayor Juan Pablo Poletti (Santa Fe, Argentina) stressed the critical role of leadership and local initiative in driving sustainable development, sharing lessons from South-South cooperation with Uruguay.

Concluding the event, Yves Zimmermann (Strasbourg, France) summarized key takeaways:  data collection must be inclusive and locally owned, political endorsement and participatory planning are vital, et UN and partners’ support should remain flexible.

Participants all underscored that the VLR process strengthens the local-national-global nexus, ensuring that LRGs are recognized as full partners in SDG implementation and reporting.

The event also featured the support provided by the UN system – UN regional economic commissions and UN-Habitat, in the crafting of the VLRs process and of its visibility at the international level. The UN Forum of Mayors that mirrors the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York – the official State-led Forum for SDGs reviews – should become the “HLPF for cities” in the coming years, enabling cities to present their VLRs and share their experience in relation thereto.