At the invitation of the Union of Cities and Municipalities of Côte d’Ivoire (UVICOCI), Abidjan hosted on February 18 and 19, 2022, the caucus of the presidents and permanent secretaries of the national associations of the countries of West Africa, as well as the leaders of the national chapters of the Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA) and the leaders of the Network of Young Locally Elected Officials of Africa (YELO).
The caucus was held in preparation for the 9th Africities Summit scheduled to take place from May 17 to May 21, 2022, in Kisumu, Kenya. The theme of the Summit is: “The role of intermediary cities in Africa in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda of the Nations and of the African Union’s Agenda 2063”.
Placed under the patronage of the Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, the caucus was officially opened on February 18 by the President of the Senate of Côte d’Ivoire, Mr. Jeannot Ahousso Kouadio, in the presence of: Mr. Danho Paulin Claude, President of the Union of Cities and Communes of Côte d’Ivoire (UVICOCI); Ms. Dao Coulibaly, President of the Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA); Mr. Fidel Yapi, Director General of Decentralisation and Local Development of Côte d’Ivoire representing the Minister of the Interior of Côte d’Ivoire; and Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG Africa.
In his opening statement, the President of the Senate praised the work already done by UCLG Africa and underlined the importance of the theme chosen for the Africities Summit which will define and propose a specific programme for African intermediary cities.
After the opening ceremony, the West Africa regional caucus delegation led by the Secretary General of UCLG Africa was received by Mr. Patrick Jérôme Achi, Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire.
The first day of the proceedings was marked by an information session relating to the preparation of the political meetings and special events of the Africities 9 Summit, the preparation of the elective general assembly of UCLG Africa scheduled for May 19, 2022, and the designation of candidates from West Africa to the governing bodies of UCLG Africa, REFELA, YELO and the Network of Permanent Secretaries of National Associations of Local Governments of Africa.
The West African region has thus designated its nine candidates to sit on the Pan-African Council of Local Authorities, which has 45 members in total (nine per region); its three candidates to sit on the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa, which has 15 members (three per region), and its candidate to sit as a member of the Presidency of UCLG Africa, which has five members, one Vice-President per region).
The same process was followed for REFELA, YELO, and the Network of Permanent Secretaries of National Associations of Local Authorities. The proceedings also made it possible to designate the candidate from West Africa for the position of Vice-President of UCLG-World; the candidate from West Africa who will be among the five members of the Financial Management Committee of UCLG Africa, and the representative of West Africa to the Electoral Commission set up to supervise the elections organised on May 19, with a view to the designation of the members of UCLG Africa’s governing bodies.
The nine candidates from West Africa to sit on the UCLG Africa Pan-African Council are : 1) “La Faitière des Communes du Togo” (FCT); 2) The National Association of Municipalities of Benin (ANCB); 3) The Union of Cities and Communes of Côte d’Ivoire (UVICOCI); 4) The city of Bamako (Mali); 5) The City of Niamey (Niger); 6) The Gambia Association of Local Government Authorities (GALGA); 7) the Local Government Association of Sierra Leone (LOCASL); 8) The Association of Mayors of Senegal (AMS); and 9) the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON).
The three candidates from West Africa to sit on the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa are: 1) La Faitière des Communes du Togo (FCT); 2) Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON); and 3) The Union of Cities and Communes of Côte d’Ivoire (UVICOCI),
The proceedings also made it possible to designate alternate candidates for each candidate nominated to sit on the Pan-African Council and on the Executive Committee of UCLG Africa.
The candidate from West Africa for the position of Vice-President of UCLG Africa is: The Union of Cities and Municipalities of Côte d’Ivoire (UVICOCI),
The candidate from West Africa for the position of Vice-President of UCLG-World is: the City of Niamey (Niger).
The candidate from West Africa to sit on the Financial Management Commission is: The Association of Mayors of Senegal (AMS).
The candidate from West Africa to sit on the Electoral Commission is: the Association of Communes of Niger.
Results of the REFELA Caucus
The nine candidates from the West African region for the Pan-African Council of REFELA are: 1) City of Assomada Santiago (Cabo Verde); 2) The Commune of Pelengana (Mali); 3) City of Banjul (Gambia); 4) The Commune of Kindia (Guinea); 5) The Commune of Diffa (Niger); 6) The Commune of Diarrere (Senegal); 7) Apapa-Lagos Municipal Assembly (Nigeria); 8) The Commune of Foumbolo (Côte d’Ivoire); and 9) the New Juaben North Municipal Assembly (Ghana).
The three candidates from West Africa to sit on the REFELA Board are: 1) the City of Assomada Santiago (Cabo Verde), 2) Commune of Pelengana (Mali), and 3) City of Banjul (Gambia).
The candidate of West Africa for the position of Vice-President of REFELA is: The city of Banjul (Gambia).
The representative of West Africa on the REFELA Electoral Commission is: Tonkolili District Council (Sierra Leone).
Results of the YELO Caucus
The nine candidates from West Africa for the YELO Pan-African Council are: 1) Golfe 6 Baguida (Togo), 2) Porto Novo (Benin), 3) Afadjato (Ghana), 4) Bo District (Sierra Leone) , 5) Lere Local Government (Nigeria), 6) Kerewan Area Council (Gambia), 7) Ourno (Niger), 8) Kroukoto (Mali), 9) Senegalese city whose name must be communicated to the UCLG Africa Secretariat within eight days.
The three candidates of West Africa for the YELO Board are: 1) Golfe 6 Baguida (Togo), 2) Lere Local Government (Nigeria); and 3) Ourno (Niger).
The candidate of West Africa to the position as Vice President of YELO is: Lere Local Government (Nigeria).
The Representative of West Africa on the Electoral Commission is: The Commune of Kondianakoro (Guinea).
Results of the Caucus of the Network of Permanent Secretaries of Local Governments of Africa
The nine candidates from West Africa for the Council of Permanent Secretaries of Local Governments of Africa are: 1) The National Association of Communes of Benin (ANCB); 2) The Union of Cities and Communes of Côte d’Ivoire (UVICOCI); 3) The Gambia Association of Local Government Authorities (GALGA); 4) National Association of Communes of Guinea (ANCG); 5) the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON); 6) the Association of Municipalities of Niger; 7) the National Association of Mayors of Senegal (AMS); 8) the Local Councils Association of Sierra Leone (LOCASL); and 9) “La Faitière des Communes du Togo” (FCT).
The three candidates from West Africa for the Board of Permanent Secretaries of Local and Subnational Governments of Africa are: 1) The National Association of Municipalities of Benin (ANCB); 2) the Union of Cities and Communes of Côte d’Ivoire (UVICOCI); and 3) the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON).
The candidate of West Africa for the position of Vice-President of the SP-NET Network: UVICOCI.
In addition, the participants in the caucus expressed their strong support for the Africa Territorial Agency (ATA), the vehicle being set up by UCLG Africa to facilitate access to the financial market for local and subnational governments of Africa. West African cities have been invited to join the 50 cities from 25 African countries that have already subscribed as members of the ATA founding club. The goal is to have a minimum of 100 local authorities who agree to be part of the founding members of the ATA by joining the cooperative society of the Agency made up exclusively of the local authorities who will be the members of the supervisory board of the ATA. Membership fees for the cooperative society are Є100,000.
The caucus was also an opportunity to define the priority issues that local elected representatives from West Africa would like to see debated during the Africities 9 Summit in Kisumu; as well as the five questions they wish to ask ministers and development partners during the tripartite dialogue meeting between Ministers, Mayors, and Development Partners scheduled for May 21, 2022.
