The document offers a comprehensive look at our operations at global and country levels and highlights the achievements of the Secretariat and the Partnership during the year.
Download the Executive Summary
2019 was an important year for the Cities Alliance, with both organisational maturity and constant revitalisation equally visible. Important highlights include:
Assembly meeting, and election of new President: Members travelled to Liberia to see firsthand the impact of the Country Programme in Paynesville and Monrovia, and transacted essential business, including the election of Anibal Gaviria Correa, former Mayor of Medellin as President of the Assembly (2019-2022).
Election of a new Board 2019-2022: Also elected at the Assembly meeting, the new Board unanimously re-elected Clare Short for her second term as Chair. The Board subsequently held a successful induction meeting, hosted by AVSI and Giuseppe Sala, the Mayor of Milan.
Re-staffing the Secretariat: In 2019, the Secretariat was systematically re-staffed, building on a core of stable, long-term staff members. Both the management of daily business, plus strategic oversight of policy, strategy and results, are handled by a small Management Team.
Financial management has been completely overhauled, as it has essential functions. The Innovation Fund dispersed a batch of small grants in record time, while the Cities and Migration team was able to conclude the first full year of operations against very strict deadlines.
One of the substantive highlights of the year was the development of a Cities Alliance policy framework for dealing with Informality, which was presented to United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) World Assembly in Durban in November. Cities Alliance has been consistent in reinforcing the framework's key messages, highlighting the importance of secondary cities within the national economy, and the importance of ensuring citywide approaches that address the needs of all citizens, with a priority focus on the urban poor in general, and consistently ensuring the empowerment of women in all of its work.
