Ilsur Metshin: “We want our cities to be well-maintained, comfortable, safe and friendly”

Ilsur Metshin, Mayor of Kazan, President of the World Organization United Cities and Local Governments and the UN Advisory Committee of Local Authorities (UNACLA), spoke via videoconference at a meeting of the regional branch of the UCLG Middle East and West Asia Section (MEWA).

Ilsur Metshin noted that the Eurasian branch implements a large number of joint projects with UCLG-MEWA. “We feel closely connected by historical and cultural ties, as well as economic relations”, - he noted.

“The subject of the meeting is very close and clear to me (“Restructuring the regional vision: towards an interconnected future” – ed. note), - I.Metshin said. – We have common tasks: we want our cities to be well-maintained, comfortable, safe and friendly. For this, we need to develop a clear action plan, develop new strategies, which we need to do during the meetings. With the support of the UCLG-MEWA regional office, its members are increasingly involved in the process of preparing voluntary local reports on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals”.

The Mayor noted that due to coronavirus, people around the world are increasingly dependent on each other. In the current situation, all UCLG members should support international cooperation.

“Such visiting meetings contribute to ensuring synergy between its members and stakeholders, as well as planning activities to respond more effectively to regional and global challenges”, - he said.

Ilsur Metshin emphasized that the ideas and proposals that emerged during the upcoming sessions will form the basis of the strategic priorities of the UCLG-MEWA.

The World Organization United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) brings together more than 240,000 municipalities, regions and metropolitan cities from 140 UN countries. The UCLG consists of 7 regional branches, a branch of metropolitan cities and regions.