Local government should be recognised as a key partner in development when deciding what is to replace the Millennium Development Goals after 2015, according to the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF).

Speaking at the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Government for Post-2015 and Habitat 111 in Istanbul on 19 March, CLGF Chairperson Mayor Lawrence Yule emphasised the need to build local democracy and democratic governance into the post-2015 agenda, to include social targets that highlight the needs of the more vulnerable and marginalised people, and to recognise that local government is a key partner in delivering any new sustainable development goals.

Mayor Yule is a member of the taskforce and was accompanied at the meeting by CLGF Secretary-General Carl Wright. Mayor Lawrence also highlighted that CLGF’s main conference, to be held this May in Kampala Uganda, has been chosen by UNDP to include a session for a formal consultation of local government on the post-2015 agenda.  He said that this would provide a good opportunity for putting the recommendations of the task force to a high level audience.

“It is important that all local government partners of our Taskforce work closely  in our joint objective to see the role of local government given full recognition in the post-2015 development agenda at Bali, in New York, in Columbo and beyond,” said Mayor Yule.

Download taskforce communiqué.