Cities Alliance Move to Brussels on Track

The Cities Alliance Executive Committee met 24-25 June 2013 in Copenhagen, where it approved a comprehensive package to effect the partnership’s transfer from Washington to Brussels.

 

The same package was subsequently approved by the full Consultative Group on July 10, on a no-objection basis, including endorsing the Bank’s request to assume a non-decision making, observer status. An update on the transition will be circulated to the Consultative Group in the next few days.

The package included new Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the Cities Alliance, a vital agreement on access to intellectual property, and an organisational chart for the Secretariat.

Office space for the Secretariat in has also been secured in Brussels. Effective September 1,2013, the Secretariat will be based at 6/5 Rond Point Schuman Place, in the centre of the city near the European Union parliament.

In addition to transition matters, EXCO also approved an interim work programme and budget for the Cities Alliance, and identified priorities for the next fiscal year. These include continuing the process of developing a Cities Alliance strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa, following a constructive debate in Addis Ababa in March 2013.

 

Another key priority area is advocacy and the upcoming Habitat III. EXCO asked the Cities Alliance Secretariat to develop a joint work programme on advocacy with United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and Shack/Slum Dwellers International (SDI) that focuses on Habitat III and the post 2015 development agenda.

 In addition to supporting the move and establishment under UNOPS, the Bank has also approved USD 500,000 funding for the Cities Alliance from the Development Grant Facility (DGF).

The date and location were confirmed for the next Cities Alliance annual Consultative Group meetings, which are due to be held November 4-6, 2013 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.