Beginning with the fourth biennial World Forum on Local Economic Development in Praia, Cape Verde, the Government of Cape Verde and UNDP, together with the International Labor Organization and the global associations of local and regional governments, UCLG and ORU Fogar, gave the welcome today more than 2,000 delegates from all continents to discuss together over the next four days the path to a more equitable and sustainable future.

Since 2011, the World Forum on Local Economic Development has been held every two years in October, offering a platform for critical reflection and creative discussions on how we can do things differently to achieve more fair, equal and sustainable development for all. Every two years, the forum takes place in different locations around the world and brings together national and subnational governments, the private sector, international organizations, civil society organizations, academia and other partners to share perspectives and showcase strategies and solutions. innovative support. of local development. The fourth forum is the first time the event has been held in Africa and will therefore have a specific focus on the challenges and opportunities ahead for the continent.

Francisca Santos, President of the National Organizing Committee of this year’s edition and Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Cape Verde said that this fourth global forum provides the opportunity to have an in-depth discussion on the changes we must make to Support in all countries, regardless of size and level of development, social and economic development that benefits our communities.

“Mayors, presidents of regions, ministers, CEOs of private companies, all have gathered in Praia to find collective solutions to address growing inequalities. “Everyone has a role to play and only through partnership and establishing the necessary enabling frameworks will we be able to jointly achieve the global development goals that all States have set for themselves two years ago.”

Johannes Krassnitzer, Coordinator of the UNDP Global ART Initiative, which has been supporting the process since its inception, stated that the local economic development approach constitutes today a set of widely applied tools and mechanisms that contribute to achieving sustainable and inclusive economies, where no one is left behind.

He highlighted the added value of local economic development as a way to promote and achieve socioeconomic cohesion that can reduce inequalities between territories and states, while introducing a territorial perspective of sustainability. It is a means to promote strong and sustainable local economies, while supporting decent job creation, business development, innovation systems, public-private partnerships and more.

“Since the beginning of the process, UNDP has believed that through this milestone, a wide range of partners can come together to strengthen or even initiate new cooperation and promote joint actions that can contribute to achieving more just and sustainable local development, and land the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.

The localization of the Sustainable Development Goals depends on local actions, community acceptance and local leadership, well coordinated at and with all levels of governance. The World Forum on Local Economic Development will be a historic global event to jointly analyze and define a roadmap towards achieving the SDGs in our territories.