AHMEDABAD, Gujarat: After the handover of U20 chair from Jakarta and co-chair West Java, in 2022, to the city of Ahmedabad, U20 is to continue their engagement with the G20 economic group and reaffirm their commitment to work along with national governments to address complex urban challenges which demand joint action from different spheres of government. The 2023 cycle of U20 will be focusing on six key priority areas including encouraging environmentally responsible behaviours, ensuring water security, accelerating climate finance, championing local identity, reinventing frameworks for urban governance and planning and catalyzing digital urban futures.
Kiritkumar J Parmar, Mayor of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), said, “The strength of the Urban 20 lies in its ability to bring together city leaders from all corners of the world to discuss and champion issues that transcend national boundaries. I look forward to welcoming fellow mayors to Ahmedabad and to working together to bring an urban perspective to the G20 agenda.”
The sixth U20 chair will continue to promote partnerships between different cities and national governments. Apart from that, it will also call for directing funds to cities particularly towards those areas wherein the urban action can impact a vast majority. The framework will also call for increasing ambition for an inclusive recovery at the national level. Ahmedabad will deliver a U20 agenda which is in line with the priorities of India’s G20 presidency, which is centred around the theme “One Earth, One Family, One Future.” The official communiqué which will be released after the Mayors Summit will present a unique opportunity for U20 cities to make their collective voice heard at a global platform like G20 and also outline U20’s contribution to G20 policy dialogues in 2023.
Amitabh Kant, G20 India Sherpa said, “India’s urban development trajectory has been such that while transitioning into ‘cities of tomorrow,’ we have aimed to retain ‘a sense of place’ to preserve the cultural heritage and local identity in connecting the old with the new. Some examples of the same are development projects across the cities of Ahmedabad, Varanasi, Ujjain, Bhubhaneshwar, etc including the Sabarmati Riverfront, Kashi-Vishvanath Corridor and more. Hence, these are not only historical sites but also social and economic assets for local communities and national development.
“As U20, it is important to deliberate on building cities of tomorrow while preserving cultural heritage, promoting lifestyle for the environment (LiFE), accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, and working towards building resilient, inclusive and sustainable futures.”
M Thennarasan, Commissioner of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, said, “As we gather for the 2023 U20 cycle in Ahmedabad, let us come together as global citizens united in our pursuit of a sustainable future. Let us use the U20 platform as an opportunity to collaborate, innovate and reshape the global urban sector. With the spirit of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ guiding us, let us turn intentions to Action and work hand in hand toward creating a better tomorrow for all.”
Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities, said, “Collaboration is a particular strength of cities which understand the value of multilateralism, especially today. Urban 20 is an opportunity for city leaders to showcase urban leadership globally and show G20 leaders that they can support, invest and work with cities to address the multiple environmental, social and economic crises of the day.”
Emilia Saiz, Secretary General of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), said, “Local and regional governments are at the forefront tackling inequalities, development challenges and emergencies alike, while they bring about innovative action for the localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals. However, cities continue to struggle with gaps in capacity, inadequate financial resources, lack of recognition, and recentralisation setbacks. Urban 20 remains the necessary space to call for solidarity amongst countries, building on the experiences of the municipal movement that are united to shape solutions to the growing interconnected crises.”
U20 Mayors Summit will take place in Ahmedabad city on July 7-8, 2023, where cities will present their joint recommendations or official communique to the Government of India ahead of the upcoming G20 Leaders’ Summit, which will take place in New Delhi on September 9–10, 2023.
The first meeting of the 2023 U20 cycle is being organised in Ahmedabad between February 9 and 10, where representatives of many cities around the globe are expected to come together and discuss shared priorities and formally begin their engagement with other G20 stakeholders.