News
Mayor Jan van Zanen of The Hague spoke this week with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in New York. Guterres highlighted the importance of local governance in tackling global issues. Topics such as international conflicts, migration, climate change, and social inclusion all impact cities and towns worldwide. Van Zanen was invited by Guterres as the president of the global association of municipalities United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG). The establishment of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in The Hague was also confirmed in New York.
UNDP is the leading UN agency in international development, focusing on areas like poverty reduction, democratic governance, crisis prevention, and recovery. For a global program on the rule of law and human rights – Global Programme for Strengthening the Rule of Law, Human Rights, Justice, and Security for Sustainable Peace and Development – UNDP will soon open an office in The Hague.
UNDP aims to closely collaborate with other international organizations in The Hague on innovative solutions for legal issues worldwide. According to Mayor Van Zanen, the arrival of UNDP strengthens the UNs ties with The Hague and enhances the citys international profile as the City of Peace and Justice. The Hague hosts around 500 international institutions and organizations. Besides being a host city for international organizations, The Hague is increasingly becoming an international conference city for world leaders and professionals, from the Nuclear Security Summit in 2014 to the NATO summit this year.
UCLG
In October 2024, UCLG organized a large international conference in The Hague on the role of local governments in addressing global issues. Mayor Van Zanen took over the annually rotating presidency of the world association amidst hundreds of mayors and local leaders. In September 2024, countries worldwide recognized the importance of local governments in achieving a sustainable, peaceful, and prosperous future for all. This was formalized by the UN in the Pact for the Future.
UN Chief Guterres emphasized in his conversation with Van Zanen the need to involve local governments more in international decision-making. Through UCLG, this can be effectively addressed. Dutch municipalities were already represented by VNG president and Utrecht mayor Sharon Dijksma in the advisory group of mayors of the secretary-general, which promotes cooperation between the UN and local and regional governments.
Mayor Van Zanen: I am very pleased that the UN recognizes the local power, the power of people. It is important that municipalities worldwide are more involved in UN decisions. Local leaders are at the heart of the community. They see like no other what international conflicts, climate issues, migration, poverty, and inequality mean in the daily lives of their residents. They know what is needed to keep a community running and can often quickly assess if things being proposed wont work or have long been invented. Locally, there is a key role for peaceful coexistence.