International Union of Local Authorities

The Economic Development and Parks Committee recommends:

(1)that the Chief Administrative Officer, in co-operation with relevant departments, develop a corporate policy framework for the international activities of the City of Toronto, the said policy framework to outline the City of Toronto's major international goals and demonstrate how these goals are being met through various program activities, noting that this task was originally part of the work plan of the World City Committee but, due to time limitations, the World City Committee was unable to complete this task;

(2)that the City of Toronto endorse the International Union of Local Authorities (IULA) Barcelona Congress Declaration and forward this Declaration to the Provincial and Federal Governments; and

(3)that the written submission for the International Union of Local Authorities, entitled "IULA Barcelona Congress Declaration", be received.

The Economic Development and Parks Committee submits the following communication (March 24, 1999) from the International Union of Local Authorities, entitled "IULA Barcelona Congress Declaration":

We, the Mayors, Leaders and representatives of the cities and local governments of the world, meeting in Barcelona on March 24, 1999 on the occasion of the 34th World Congress of the International Union of Local Authorities (IULA), agree the following Declaration within the spirit of our Congress theme, "Local Government Uniting in a Global Mission".

New Century, New Challenges:

(1)We meet on the eve of a new century - a century in which the role and task of cities and local government will, as a matter of historical necessity, be enhanced, and whose challenges we must prepare ourselves to meet.

(2)The world is being reshaped by changing economic, technological, demographic, environmental and social forces. The globalization and liberalization of the economy, and the global impact of new communication technologies, in particular communication technologies, continue to transform the lives of our citizens.

(3)Allied to these trends, population growth and the continuing process of urbanization make the task of local government more complex, but all the more essential. This is true also of rural communities, still representing half of the world population, we recognize the increasing interaction and mutual dependency between urban and rural settlements and economies.

(4)The traditional role of the state is also profoundly affected by the above trends, which affect the economic levers available to them. States will increasingly recognize the vital role of local and regional government as essential democratic and economic actors, in partnership with other sectors, and as a driving force for sustainable economic development, employment creation and regeneration.

(5)It is clear also that states cannot centrally manage and control the complex, fast-moving, integrated cities and towns of today and tomorrow. Only decentralized local government, in touch with and involving its citizens, is in a position to do so.

Local Democracy in the World:

(6)The strength and foundation of local government is our proximity to the citizens we serve. It is from the people that our legitimacy arises. Many states, in their own constitutions or through international treaties, have formally recognized the vital role of local government and local democracy. But this is still far from universal.

(7)We are committed to the principles of democratic decentralization and subsidiarity, not as a pyramid of competing tiers of government, but in the spirit of inter-connecting spheres of government, which must work together in genuine partnership to advance the well-being of our citizens and communities.

(8)In 1985, at our Rio Congress, IULA launched the Worldwide Declaration of Local Self-Government, renewed in Toronto in June 1993, which has done much to make the universal case for the common principles of local autonomy and democracy to which we now rededicate ourselves.

(9)It is now part of our global mission to promote a new World Charter of Local Self-Government, being drawn up in partnership with the UN Commission for Human Settlements, for adoption by UN Member States. The international definition of the guiding principles of local self-government will make a contribution to securing good governance. The growing number of states that have ratified the European Charter in recent years demonstrates that this is an achievable, and essential, goal.

(10)Local democracy is not just a formal value; it must be continuously updated and revised, ensuring genuine equality and participation open to all. We emphasize, in particular, the essential role that women must play as representatives and as citizens, and the duty to ensure that all our services take their leadership skills, needs and aspirations fully into account.

(11)To this end, we fully support the IULA Declaration on Women in Local Government launched in Harare in November 1998 and pledge ourselves to promote and implement it at all levels, including at the UN "Beijing + 5" Conference in the year 2000. In line with our Declaration, we encourage equality of women and men in decision-making bodies at all levels within our authorities and associations.

(12)We acknowledge our responsibility to ensure transparency and the highest standards of ethics and behaviour within local government, amongst elected representatives and officers. The legitimacy of democratic local government must be founded on these values.

(13)We stress that local democracy cannot be real and flourishing if local governments do not have realistic resources (for capital and revenue) commensurate with our responsibilities. We acknowledge, in return, our responsibility to use limited resources wisely, and to be creative in finding new partnerships for vital investment.

(14)We consider that local democracy must play new roles in tomorrow's world. For example, local democracy necessarily implies our commitments to human rights - civil and political, social and economic - recognized within the United Nations. And within this framework, we see local government as playing an essential developmental role in society.

(15)We recognize too that we are all increasingly affected by what happens in other parts of the world. This is true, for example, of the economy, environment, crime, migration, large-scale poverty, natural disasters, war and peace. We cannot afford to remain locked into a purely local or national outlook.

(16)Cities and all local governments have a fundamental role to play if we are to ensure that the 21st century is "liveable" for the peoples of the world. To that end, we commit ourselves to co-operate at an international level, to learn from each other in a spirit of mutuality, and to demonstrate solidarity.

(17)We recognize once more the vital role of transnational partnerships, twinnings and sister city links, as a force for understanding, learning, solidarity and peace, based on relationships of equality and mutual respect.

(18)We re-emphasize our commitment to Municipal International Co-operation, and to mutual assistance through capacity-building programmes across the world. These must focus in particular on the vital role of national associations of local government, as advocates of local government towards other spheres of government, and as capacity-builders in their own right for local government.

Sustainable Development and Local Agenda 21:

(19)Since the Earth Summit in Rio, local government has played a leading role at local, national and international levels in promoting Agenda 21. Working with the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), IULA and its members have developed far-reaching Local Agenda 21 programmes and partnerships across all continents, and we commit ourselves to pursuing and expanding this leadership role, playing a full part in the UN's 10 year review of Rio.

(20)The principles of sustainable development remain as strong and vital now as ever before. There is no "environment" separate from the other issues we face - what is required is an integrated approach that links environmental, economic, social and cultural development.

(21)Local government has a long and proud record as innovator in the use of new technologies; we recognize the importance of developing and promoting environmentally sensitive technologies within our towns, cities and rural areas, for example in urban transport, waste management and other relevant arenas.

(22)We accept the vital but difficult challenge of ensuring universal access to public services and resources such as energy and water, whilst holding to our duties as trustees for future generations, to sustain such services and resources for the citizens of tomorrow.

(23)We likewise acknowledge the importance of setting food security of low-income constituencies in developing countries as a major objective of local development policies and programmes, in line with the conclusions of the World Food Summit held in Rome in 1995.

 Social Cohesion and Participation:

(24)The last decade has seen a growing gap emerge between the rich and the poor. This is true at international level, between countries, at national level, and at local level. Poverty is a reality that local government must address, at all levels.

(25)Within our duty of solidarity, local government across the world must unite to agree on an anti-poverty agenda that can have an impact on the poorest sections of our communities. Mutual support between our local governments and our national associations must play a role - but we cannot ignore the big issues such as international debt and falling commodity prices, which gravely impact on developing countries and their spheres of government. If local government is to play its role in development, it must have basic resources.

(26)Addressing the issue of poverty is a question of justice - but also of common interest. Sustainable economic success at all levels requires social cohesion - inward investment and local economies can be gravely affected by social disharmony and the effects of widespread criminality. Social exclusion is morally unjust - it is also damaging to society as a whole.

(27)We commit ourselves to oppose racism and xenophobia, in all their manifestations, to build inter-cultural dialogue and understanding, and to develop harmonious communities.

(28)We reaffirm the vital importance of universal public services, such as education, health and public transport, in ensuring an equitable and cohesive society, and commit ourselves to secure these services for our communities.

(29)Successful management of human settlements is no longer a simple matter of service provision, though high quality services are vital for us. To manage the complex cities, towns and districts of the modern age, the active participation of our citizens is increasingly important. We commit ourselves to develop new means of citizen involvement and participation.

(30)We commit ourselves, in particular, to find new ways of involving all sections of our communities, including those whose voices might otherwise not be heard. The growth of the Information Society, and telematics, offer powerful new means of two-way communication with citizens, but we have to ensure equity and accessibility. We are determined to create societies, at local level, in which every citizen is a genuine stake-holder. In short, our role is not simply one of local government, but of local governance.

(31)Issue of equity and participation cut across traditional service boundaries. Increasingly, we must ensure that the needs of broad sections of our populations - such as children and, in many countries, the growing numbers of older citizens - are focused on and met in a comprehensive and integrated way.

(32)In this spirit, we recognize that local government must adapt and modernize itself, in every country, to meet the challenges of a changing world. Democratic local government has the legitimacy, and also the duty, to promote the integrated economics, social and environmental well-being of its area and community, working in dialogue with our Parliaments and in partnership with all other sectors - public, private, and civil society. We cannot remain isolated and attached to outdated modes of decision-making.

Toward a United Voice for World Local Government:

(33)We welcome the careful and positive steps taken to date towards the establishment of a new, unified organization of local government at world level, to provide a strong and universal voice towards the UN system and the international community, and a focal point for co-operation between local governments.

(34)Recognizing the different history and traditions of the organizations, we give our wholehearted support to IULA and UTO in this historic undertaking, which is in tune with the needs of the coming era. We are sure that this Congress, in Barcelona, will prove to be an important step towards this historic goal of unification.

Our Message to the United Nations and the International Community:

(35)We recognize and support the growing spirit and scope of partnership with international organizations. However, local government must and will play a fuller role in the coming century, if the challenges facing humanity are to be successfully addressed. We look for proper recognition of our role, and for true partnership at all levels, to ensure that our common interests, challenges and tasks are effectively carried out.

(36)We commit ourselves to play the fullest role in the process leading up to the UN General Assembly's Special Session on "Istanbul+5" in the year 2001. We consider it essential that on this occasion, joining our efforts with the UN Commission on Human Settlements, effective decisions be taken to adopt the World Charter of Local Self-Government as a UN convention, and to establish an official consultative body of local government within the framework of the UN system.

(37)The citizens of the world, in our communities, require and deserve no less. Let us unite together, in our truly global mission.