“We particularly see a stronger role for local authorities in partner countries as key to achieving better governance and the sustainable development outcomes set out in the international agenda.” This is what Andris Pielbags, European Commissioner for Development Cooperation, stated during the last meeting of the Committee of the Regions and the European Commission.
Pielbags said the “global commitments can only bear fruit if action at local level is real and effective. That is why we believe that local authorities’ involvement is crucial to our efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 and in our continued efforts to eradicate poverty once and for all.”
The European Commission is working on increasing the impact on development policy, in particular through a new initiative aimed at enhancing the role of local authorities in development. In the coming months, the Commission will publish a communication on the role of local authorities in partner countries.