L’importance de la coopération décentralisée et de la diplomatie des villes dans l’approche de l’UE à l’égard des contextes fragiles

The draft opinion was presented by the rapporteur to the Council Working Party on Development Cooperation and International Partnerships (CODEV-PI) on the 22nd June, at the invitation of the Cyprus presidency of the Council, who had requested this opinion from the CoR as a presidency referral. The rapporteur presented the key points of the opinion alongside a presentation of the Nicosia Initiative of decentralised cooperation with Libya. Members states representatives showed high interest on the topic and the added value that local and regional authorities can bring to EU efforts to stay engaged in fragile settings, with the Nicosia Initiative standing out as a best practice on the topic.
As a result of the strong cooperation between the rapporteur and the Cyprus Presidency in the preparation of the opinion, the Council Conclusions on fragility include a strong emphasis on the role of local authorities (https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-9285-2026-INIT/en/pdf):
*The Council reaffirms its commitment to mutually beneficial partnerships to strengthen local ownership, transparency and inclusiveness. It remains firmly committed to empowering and cooperating with local actors, including local authorities, civil society, local private sector, including SMEs, and independent media, ensuring that interventions contribute to sustainable, locally-owned solutions, support inclusive and accountable governance, and reduce aid dependency."