The presidents of Cabo Verde’s municipal councils and assemblies will take part in a capacity-building seminar on municipal governance and smart cities in Beijing from 3 to 17 September. The initiative is promoted by the National Association of Municipalities of Cabo Verde (ANMCV), in partnership with the Chinese Government.

According to ANMCV President Fábio Vieira, the majority of presidents of the municipal councils and assemblies are expected to participate in the initiative. In some cases, however, they will be represented by councillors or other elected local officials. The delegation will also include representatives from the University of Cabo Verde, the National Civil Protection Service and other institutions.

The programme includes capacity-building activities and visits to initiatives and projects developed in China in the field of smart cities. Participants will examine new challenges in municipal governance, particularly digital transformation, climate change and the need for greater co-ordination between local authorities, the Government, development partners, the private sector and civil society.

The training is expected to support the strategic planning of municipalities, land use planning and the promotion of environmental sustainability. Fábio Vieira highlighted the importance of strengthening local authorities’ preparedness for extreme weather events. According to the official, natural disasters have exposed vulnerabilities in territorial planning, and the knowledge acquired could help improve municipalities’ prevention and response to climate change and other extreme phenomena.

(Source: Inforpress, 28 August)