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Local Authorities

SI Committee on Local Authorities met in Mons, Belgium

16-17 July 2004

 

 The SI Committee on Local Authorities met in the city of Mons, the capital of the Belgian province of Hainaut, on 16-17 July, chaired by Elio Di Rupo, leader of the host Socialist Party, PS, and mayor of Mons, who was elected Chair of the Committee at the last SI Council.

Close to 40 mayors, guests and representatives of member parties of the International from different regions in the world took part in the meeting which had on its agenda an 'Introduction and overview of existing city networks' and a 'Presentation of thematic city networks' on particular topics ranging from the environment, and cooperation for peace in the Middle East, to the network of towns in Latin America and the 'Free Ingrid Betancourt' network. In the framework of the first theme, the Committee heard contributions from the Organisation of United Cities and Local Governments, the Union of Socialist Local and Regional Representatives of Europe and the Socialist Group of the Committee of the Regions of the European Union.

Defining the programme of work and future activities of the Committee also figured at the centre of discussions. It was decided that the Committee would work to create warning and cooperation networks among towns led by socialist, social democratic and labour mayors, in order to mobilise on specific issues: resolving conflicts - particularly in the Middle East, through concrete triangular cooperation between European, Israeli and Palestinian cities - cooperating on environmental issues, and, within the framework of solidarity between countries of the North and the South, fighting against Aids. Finally, the Committee will set up dialogue between delegations of SI party members participating in the work of different global and regional organisations of local authorities and meetings will be held in conjunction with their gatherings.

It was decided that the IV SI World Conference of Mayors would be held towards the end of 2005 and that the Committee would convene at the end of January in Porto Alegre, in connection with the meeting of the World Social Forum which will take place in the same city from 26 to 31 January 2005.

On the occasion of its first meeting since the holding of the last Congress, the Committee named Miguel Lifschitz, Mayor of Rosario (PS, Argentina) as one of its two vice-presidents.

List of participants

 

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

 


Chair of the Committee
Elio Di Rupo
(Mayor of Mons,
Chair of the PS, Belgium)



Socialist International
Luis Ayala
(Secretary General)



ALGERIA
Djoudi Mammeri
Socialist Forces Front, FFS
(First Secretary)



ARGENTINA
Socialist Party, PS
Miguel Lifschitz
(Mayor of Rosario)



BELGIUM
Socialist Party, PS
Willy Demeyer
(Mayor of Liège)

Jean-Christophe Peterkenne
(Representative of the town of Liège)

Yvan Mayeur
(Chair of the Public Centre for Social Aid of the city of Brussels, CPAS)

Marc Tarabella
(Mayor of Anthisnes)

Didier Donfut
(Mayor of Framerie)

Joëlle Kapombole
(Communal Counsellor of Mons)

Etienne Godin
(International Secretary)



BELGIUM
Socialist Party, SPA
Machteld Michiels
(Town of Saint Nicolas)



BULGARIA
Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP
Evgeniy Zhelev
(Mayor of Stara Zagora)

Azer Melikov
(International Department)



BULGARIA
Bulgarian Social Democrats
Angelina Dimova
(Member of the Executive)




DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Union for Democracy and Social Progress, UDPS
François Tshipamba Mpuila
(UDPS representative for the Benelux)

Raphaël Kashala
(UDPS representative for the Benelux)



CZECH REPUBLIC
Czech Social Democratic Party, CSSD
Linda Kopecka
(Representative of the City of Prague)



GERMANY
Social Democratic Party of Germany, SPD
Herbert Schmalstieg
(Mayor of Hanover)



ITALY
Democrats of the Left, DS
Katiuscia Marini
(Mayor of Todi)



MONGOLIA
Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party, MPRP
D. Baasansuren
(Vice-Chair of the City Committee)

J. Batsuuri
(Governor of Dornogovi Aimag)

Mr Chimeddorj



PALESTINE
Fatah
Marouf Zahran
(Mayor of Qalqilia)



ROMANIA
Democratic Party, PD
Lavinia Sandru
(International Secretary)



SWEDEN
Swedish Social Democratic Party, SAP
Annelie Stark
(Director of the Regional Council of Skaraborg)



TURKEY
Republican People's Party, CHP
Umal Drzen
(Mayor of Bakirkoy)

Petek Gürbüz
(Coordinator of International Relations)



TURKEY
Democratic People's Party, DEHAP
Veli Buyuksahin
(Deputy Chair)

Metin Tekce
(Mayor of Hakkari)

Fayik Yagizay
(European Representative)



Socialist International Women, SIW
Nadya Radeva
(Vice-Chair)



SI Secretariat
Latifa Perry

Sophie Thérouanne


Guests

CYPRUS
Republican Turkish Party, CTP
Kutlay Erk
(Mayor of Nicosia, Turkish local authority)

Erkut Sahali
(Turkish local authority of Nicosia)

Cim Seroydas
(Turkish local authority of Nicosia)



Socialist Group of the Committee of the Regions of the European Union, CRUE
Michel Delebarre
(Chair)

Jordi Harisson



Organisation of United Cities and Local Governments, UCGL
Edgardo Bilsky
(Head of mission)



Union of Socialist Local and Regional Representatives of Europe
Martine Buron
(Former Chair)

 



Other activities

If you are looking for an earlier meeting, please consult the LIBRARY section.