Strong idea The role of cities as international actors
Reference Dialogue: Forum of Porto Alegre Local Authorities - Agenda 21 for Culture

It is in cities that the effects of globalization become evident. The creation of networks of cities may be an appropriate means of ensuring that cities can participate effectively in international institutions and strengthen their role as relevant actors.

Globalization has negative effects that take the form of a series of exclusions (democratic deficit, immigrants, the digital divide, etc.). Cities are the main setting in which these negative effects become apparent. Fifty percent of the world's population is urban, but in Africa, for example, three quarters of urban dwellings are shacks. Could cities be the actors best equipped to respond to the challenge of exclusion? What mechanisms would such a response require? Can some of the problems cities face be exported? What about the solutions they identify? Can they learn from different experiences and work together to gain greater recognition as international actors with a significant role to play in improving global governance? What mechanisms can cities use to articulate their interests and develop their role as international political actors?

Networks of cities must be created at the global level to facilitate decentralized cooperation in the process of resolving shared problems. Such networks can also act as lobby groups, working to ensure that cities are active participants and have an independent voice in traditionally state-oriented international bodies (UN, IMF, WTO and others). It is also necessary to expand and strengthen participatory democracy as a tool for promoting citizen involvement and co-responsibility in the public decision-making process.

Discussions held within the framework of the Dialogue addressed the different capacity of large metropolises, and small and medium-sized cities to influence the policy and activity of the global organization United Cities and Local Governments, which was recently created in Paris. Discussion also focused on the effectiveness of organizations in the form of networks, in relation to both their organizational structure and the degree of internal democracy in decision-making. Nevertheless, the creation of United Cities and Local Governments in Paris (in the week preceding the meeting of the Forum of Local Authorities) is viewed as a positive development in networking. United Cities and Local Governments is the result of the unification of a number of organizations representing cities (FMCU, IULA and Metropolis). Other encouraging experiences of networking include an international coalition of cities against racism, which has the support of UNESCO and has defined a 10-point program.

Another significant development was the approval of the Barcelona Declaration, which contemplates the creation of the Network of Cities for Social Inclusion (linked to United Cities and Local Governments). The new organization will seek to develop public policy in line with proposals and principles generated during different editions of the Forum of Porto Alegre Local Authorities.