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(Special for CAFS) Commonwealth conference highlights local gov't role in development

Xinhua, June 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Commonwealth Local Government Conference (CLGC) kicked off in Botswana's capital Gaborone on Tuesday focusing on local government's priorities in development.

Participants from members of the Commonwealth of Nations, organizations and other relevant parties will in the next four days share and discuss experience and challenges at the biennial conference.

The Commonwealth of Nations is an intergovernmental organization of 53 member states that were mostly territories of the former British Empire.

This year's conference is held under the theme: Local government 2030: achieving the vision will focus on priorities for local government post-2015 to play its full part in development including improving local governance and effectiveness, promoting sustainable local development, and strategies for inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities.

"The theme clearly recognizes the role of empowered developmental local governments in achieving the goals and targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda by 2030," said Botswana President Seretse Khama Ian Khama at the opening ceremony.

SDGs are a new set of development targets for the post-2015 development agenda as the deadline for realizing the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) expires at the end of this year.

"A decentralized governance framework and empowered local governments and communities are critical to the localization of national development," said Khama.

Chairperson of Commonwealth Local Government Forum Lawrence Yule said the conference comes at a critical time to raise a vision integrating how local government with the central government and other partners can effectively contribute to the achievement of SDGs and implementation of great development targets in 2015 to 2030.

It is expected a roadmap for local government to help deliver development targets will be included in the conference outcomes. Endi