Mayors Delivering Democracy

As cities strengthen their democratic commitments, this session will focus on how local governments are delivering on their public policies to increase transparency and accountability, to address corruption, and to provide critical municipal services. This session will serve as an implementation-geared discussion of how cities and mayors are promoting democracy and the Sustainable Development Goals by focusing on accountability, transparency and good governance. Coordinated with a session at the Brussels Forum, this session will focus on the launch of the Global Declaration of Mayors for Democracy. The Declaration is an output of the Biden Administration's Summit for Democracy. This networking session will provide an opportunity for attendees to discuss the aim of this Declaration and explore strategies that cities and local governments are undertaking to provide municipal services in a manner that is comprehensive, equitable and focused on strengthening democratic values. We will hear from the mayors of Monrovia and Bogota (invited), and learn of best practices for advancing the theme of Transforming Our Cities for a Better Urban Future. Kevin Nelson of USAID will moderate the discussion, with colleagues from the US Department of State, USAID, and UCLG discussing their perspectives on local government democratic effectiveness. Attendees will learn of the successes and struggles cities have in promoting democracy given recent years of backsliding and the erosion of public trust in government institutions.

Mr. Kevin Nelson, Urban Governance Lead, Democracy, Human Rights and Governance Center, US Agency for International - moderator 

Mayor (Mr.) Jefferson Koijee, City of Monrovia, Liberia 

Mayor Manuel Araujo, City of Quelimane, Mozambique

Mayor (Ms.) Claudia Lopez, City of Bogota, Columbia (invited) 

Mr. Danny Ricchetti, Director, Intergovernmental Affairs, US Department of State 

Ms. Nicole Lowery, Office of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, US Department of State 

Mr. Gary Bland, Senior Technical Advisor, Democracy, Human Rights and Governance Center, USAID (virtual) 

Mr. Jose Alvarez Munoz, UCLG (invited)