7th World Urban Forum

From the 5^th to 11^th of April of 2014, the UNDP ART Initiative participated in the 7^th World Urban Forum (WUF7), Urban Equity in Development-Cities for Life. The biannual event, organized by UN HABITAT, was hosted by the City of Medellin. 

During the week several events were scheduled, among them the side- event “LED. Strengthening urban rural linkages for economic growth and sustainable development’ organized by the UNDP ART Initiative together with the Organisation of Regions United (ORU Fogar), the global network of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Various experts and local authorities discussed about the close link among the Local Economic Development (LED), multi-level governance and open participation, together with the direct impact that this interaction has on economic, social and environmental aspects.  Furthermore, it was highlighted the need to reinforce linkages between cities and rural areas, and their communities and resources. Since, both cities and rural areas include urban and rural aspects, the LED approach promotes policy coherence in these linkages and strengthens them for a further economic and social development.  

Among the speeches delivered by the panelists and the reactions from the audience, there were demands to promote private-public partnerships;  further expansion of participatory processes in order to take into account the voices of the vulnerable groups also in the decision making processes; sustainable regional development approaches that become part of national and global development strategies and plans.  

Today LED is commonly understood as a strategically planned, locally driven partnership approach aimed at generating sustainable local economic opportunities and quality of life gains through improved economic governance. This approach to LED, and its related policies and instruments, has shown to be effective as a way to respond to the needs of the urban-rural population by promoting urban rural partnerships and thereby fostering the development of the overall territory.

This side event was part of the ongoing process on LED, towards the celebration of the 3^rd World Forum of LED that will be held in Turin in 2015. On the other hand, it is again stressed the importance of LED as a relevant approach and set of tools in the framework of the implementation of the post-2015 agenda at the local level.

You may also find here the final report of the side event in Medellin, which integrates the conclusions and results of this important event.

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