U20 Mayors Summit: Local govts brave challenges, opportunities of globalised world, says Nkadimeng

JOHANNESBURG - Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane said the challenges and opportunities of a globalised world are being felt directly at the local government level, with municipalities across continents sharing similar experiences

Speaking at the U20 Mayors Summit in Sandton on Saturday, Simelane highlighted how patterns of human migration show that people are not static.

She emphasised the crucial role of organisations like United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) in fostering a connected system of support and collaboration.

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She explained that UCLG helps local governments learn from one another's successes and failures to avoid repeating mistakes and maximise lessons from various issues.

“The experiences we're getting, if you recall, UCLG five, six years ago, championed the inclusion of disaster, both in risk mitigation and response. And at a time when it was dealt with by the UN [United Nations] and quite a number of other bodies in a more disintegrated way. You will see that the boundaries of a disaster are non-existent. It could be coming and crossing the continent at a particular time.”