On Tuesday, September 24th, 2024, ALDA’s President, Nataša Vučković, held a significant meeting with Mathieu Mori, Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. The discussion revolved around deepening cooperation on three core topics: support for Local Democracy Agencies (LDAs), Ukraine, and Human Rights.
As the initiator of the LDA project, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has been instrumental in supporting the LDAs since their inception. In the early stages, this support came through both funding and institutional backing, allowing the LDAs to evolve into more autonomous entities. Initially established to promote decentralised cooperation and rebuild connections between citizens and local authorities in the Western Balkans, the LDA model has since been adopted by other regions. Today, there are 17 LDAs actively operating across the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe, Türkiye, and North Africa.
During the meeting, ALDA’s President emphasised the importance of reinforcing the link between the Congress and the LDAs at a critical moment for the regions where these agencies are promoting good governance and participatory democracy.
Vučković welcomed the Secretary General’s continued interest in strengthening cooperation, particularly as these regions face pivotal challenges.
Ukraine was a central topic of discussion. ALDA has been active in Ukraine for over a decade, promoting good governance and democratic participation. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, ALDA launched a flagship initiative to establish up to 9 LDAs across Ukraine, addressing pressing challenges faced by local communities. Participatory governance has proven vital in strengthening community resilience against the shock of war.
The LDAs of Dnipro and Mariupol, established in 2015 and 2017 with the support of Lower Silesia and Gdansk Municipality, respectively, have been crucial in assessing the needs of the population and mobilising resources to meet them. As an observer member of the Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine under the Committee of the Regions (CoR) and a partner of the U-LEAD with Europe project, ALDA has been actively advocating for the role of local authorities in Ukraine’s reconstruction process. The involvement of citizens ensures that this process is fair, inclusive, and democratic.
The Congress, in turn, is leading the High-Level Dialogue on Decentralisation in Ukraine, involving national authorities, the Ukrainian Parliament, and the associations of local and regional authorities, three of which are members of ALDA: this dialogue is essential for Ukraine’s European future and its recovery. ALDA’s President expressed her gratitude for the Congress’s willingness to contribute insights to this ongoing dialogue, as both organisations work toward the Ukraine Reconstruction Conference 2025.
Human Rights: Strengthening Local Authorities’ Capacities
In addition to Ukraine, human rights were another key focus of the meeting. The Secretary General introduced the Congress’s new Human Rights unit, which will assist local and regional authorities in promoting and upholding human rights. The unit will also work on building capacity to implement court decisions regarding human rights breaches.
This initiative aligns perfectly with ALDA’s thematic hub on Gender, Inclusion, and Human Rights. President Vučković expressed a keen interest in developing further cooperation in this area, especially with LDAs potentially playing a supportive role in the Congress’s upcoming human rights activities.
Looking Ahead: Strengthened Cooperation
The meeting concluded with anticipation of continued collaboration, with ALDA set to engage with the Congress once more on October 8th, during the launch of ALDA’s Secretary General’s book, commemorating 30 years of the Local Democracy Agencies. ALDA expresses its sincere appreciation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities for its enduring support and for the fruitful discussions held during this meeting.