UCLG welcomes António Guterres as new UN Secretary‑General

Local and regional governments gathered in UCLG send best wishes to the incoming UN Secretary‑General

Local and regional governments worldwide express the hope that António Guterres, who was was Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002 and served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 2005 to 2015, will build on the legacy of Habitat III and strengthen the dialogue between the internationally‑organized constituency of local and regional governments and the UN System.

Local and regional governments stress their commitment to contribute to the achievement of the global agendas and look forward to active exchanges with the new Secretary­‑General in the coming year.

Tribute to Ban Ki-moon

United Cities and Local Governments also takes this opportunity to pay tribute to the outgoing UN Secretary‑General, Ban Ki-moon. His legacy will not go unnoticed and we thank him for the special attention paid to the role that cities and local governments need to play in the Climate and 2030 Agendas.

UCLG and its members wish him well in his future endeavours and hope to be able to count on his commitment and support for local governments’ contributions to sustainable development going forward.