The United Nations has notified Spain of its acceptance of the candidature of Bilbao to host the Secretariat of the Local Coalition 2030. The joint work undertaken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, the Ministry of Social Rights and 2030 Agenda, the Regional Government of the Basque Country and the City Council of Bilbao has resulted in the selection of the capital of Biscay to host the UN body commissioned with coordinating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) at levels that are closer to citizens.
This decision means the presence of a new United Nations body on Spanish soil and provides a boost to our country’s leadership around the world in regard to the localisation of the SDG. Accordingly, Spain, the Basque Country and the city of Bilbao are acknowledged as benchmarks in territorialisation, recognising their transforming role in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
The Local Coalition 2020 is tasked with promoting activity by cities, regional and national governments and the private sector to localise the SDG and the 2030 Agenda.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation has promoted this candidature as part of Spain’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda. The decentralised political and administrative structure of our country makes local and regional governments key players in the development of this Agenda. In recent years, Spain’s commitment to this issue has been acknowledged on the international and multilateral stage, with its participation at the highest level of events organised by the UN.
Spain’s driving role at a European Union level is also worthy of mention, which pays increasingly more attention to decentralisation processes in partner countries tied in to the goals of transparent citizen participation and accountability.
In short, this decision reaffirms Spain’s multilateral commitment to the SDG and the 2030 Agenda, and to the administrative structure of our country.