Language:

International associations and networks

United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) is the worldwide organisation for all kinds of local and regional governments, created in 2004 to provide a united voice towards the United Nations and the international community. Its seat is in Barcelona.

One of its main founding objectives is "to promote decentralised cooperation, international cooperation, twinning and partnerships between local governments and their associations." It can provide information on these areas of work to interested local and regional governments.

UCLG currently has members in more than 130 countries in all world regions. Its members include over 1,000 small and large towns and cities, provinces and regions, together with 120 national associations (almost all of the world's national associations of local and regional government are members).

UCLG has seven geographical sections, each with its own organisation: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Euro-Asia, Europe, Middle East and West Asia, Latin America, North America.

Metropolis is UCLG's metropolitan section. It brings together cities with over 1,000,000 inhabitants, and addresses their specific needs and interests.

UCLG was formed from the unification of the International Union of Local Authorities (IULA) and of the Fédération Mondiale des Cités Unies, and thus brings to today's world the experience gained during 100 years of international local government co-operation.

UCLG is a partner in the Platform of local and regional authorities for development.

The International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF), formed in 1979 on the initiative of the mayors of Paris and Quebec, acts as an operational arm of the Francophonie for decentralized co-operation. It works to achieve a better management of municipalities, promoting exchanges of experience and financing concrete projects, drawing upon its network of experts.

The AIMF today counts over 200 towns, cities and national associations of towns and cities as members, coming from around 50 countries. Its secretariat is based in Paris. It is a partner in the Platform of local and regional authorities for development.

The ACP Local Government Platform was set up in 2001, with the overall aim "to enhance the role of local governments in the formulation, implementation and review of cooperation strategies and programmes supported under the [EU-ACP] Cotonou Agreement."

The Platform has five members, which themselves have a broad membership in the ACP countries:

United Cities and Local governments Africa (UCLGA), Caribbean Association of Local Government Authorities (CALGA), Pacific associations of local government, Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF), and Association Internationale des Maires Francophones (AIMF).

The ACP Platform has an office in Brussels. It is also an observer of the (other) Platform of local and regional authorities for development.

The Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) works to promote and strengthen effective democratic local government throughout the Commonwealth and to facilitate the exchange of good practice in local government structures and services.

It has more than 160 members in 40 Commonwealth countries, including local government associations, individual local authorities and ministries dealing with local government. CLGF is unique in bringing together the central, provincial and local spheres of government.

CLGF's activities include conferences, programmes and projects, and research and information, including country studies. Its secretariat is based in London, and it also has a Pacific Regional office in Suva, Fiji.

The Forum of Global Association of Regions (FOGAR) has been created on the initiative in particular of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions and is open to geographical, thematic or cultural networks of regions from all continents. Its aims are to make the voice of regions heard in the globalisation process, organise new rules of strategic governance, which include the infra-state levels, and promote initiatives for co-operation between the world's regions.

FOGAR has its seat in Rennes, France.