As we mark this year’s World Cities Day on 31 October, the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) highlights two vital and interlinked themes shaping our urban future: the role of mayors and political leadership; and the need to rebuild and strengthen trust in governance through inclusive local leadership.

Rapid urbanisation is transforming communities worldwide, and the Commonwealth is at the centre of this growth. By 2050, an additional 2.5 billion people are expected to live in towns and cities, with almost half of that expansion taking place in Commonwealth countries. It is therefore essential that we plan the cities of tomorrow effectively, sensitively, and collaboratively.

Mayors and political leaders across the Commonwealth are at the heart of this work - ensuring that, in a world of diminishing resources and accelerating climate pressures, sustainable urbanisation is pursued with equality, safety, and fairness at its core.

Our mayors and local leaders are at the forefront of the global urban transition, tackling challenges from affordable housing and infrastructure renewal to climate resilience and economic inclusion. Their democratic legitimacy, proximity to citizens, and ability to convene partners position them as the key drivers of sustainable, inclusive urbanisation.

Cities today face unprecedented pressures, from climate-induced disasters and migration flows to cost-of-living crises and widening inequality. At the UN Summit of the Future (2024) and through UN-Habitat’s Local2030 Coalition, world leaders reaffirmed that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) depends on empowered, trusted, and well-resourced local governments. In this context, mayors’ leadership is not only about service delivery but a test of democratic resilience and public trust.

CLGF’s Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Network (CSCN) works with mayors and city managers to strengthen leadership, peer learning, and integrated governance across the Commonwealth. Examples include:

• eThekwini (South Africa) spearheading a city-to-city benchmarking initiative through the CSCN, exploring practical approaches to local finance, service delivery, and citizen participation that can inform peer learning with other cities;
• Belize City (Caribbean) leading the first Member-Led CSCN City Exchange Webinar on Municipal Securities Legislation, becoming the first Commonwealth Caribbean city to issue a local municipal bond - demonstrating how local leaders can pioneer innovative financing for sustainable infrastructure;
• Across Southern Africa, cities such as Windhoek (Namibia) sharing lessons on water management and resilience in arid environments - critical priorities that CLGF continues to spotlight through peer exchange.

“World Cities Day reminds us that leadership at the local level is not optional — it is the engine of the global sustainable development agenda.”

Rebuilding Trust in Governance through Local Leadership

To build the cities of the future - cities that deliver what people want and need while reaffirming local democracy - it is imperative that mayors and local politicians have the confidence, support, and trust of their communities. Trust is never automatic, even in mature democracies, and corruption and misinformation continue to threaten public confidence. Yet local government remains the most trusted sphere of democracy, largely because it is closest to people’s daily lives.

Across the Commonwealth, citizens are demanding greater transparency, accountability, and ethical leadership. As urban areas expand and governance systems decentralise, mayors and councillors play a vital role in restoring trust through open, participatory, and inclusive leadership.

Through the Commonwealth Women in Local Government (ComWLG) network, CLGF champions governance that is representative, ethical, and inclusive, illustrated through examples such as:

• In Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Zambia, ComWLG members working with national associations and ministries to improve gender representation, accountability, and integrity standards through peer learning;
• Across CLGF’s wider networks, local leaders exchanging good practices in citizen participation, open data, and ethical decision-making, reinforcing confidence in local democracy;
• Under the CSCN and through the Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Initiative (CSCI), CLGF advocating that trust grows when leadership mirrors society - when women, youth, and under-represented groups help shape local priorities and outcomes.

“Trust in governance is rebuilt not through words, but through the daily actions of local leaders who engage openly, act ethically, and include everyone in shaping their cities’ futures.”

As we celebrate World Cities Day 2025, CLGF pays tribute to the mayors, councillors, and political leaders across the Commonwealth who are working tirelessly to ensure that the cities of the future are sustainable, inclusive, and led with integrity - cities where leadership earns the trust and support of the people it serves.