What are our goals?
The Africa-Europe Mayors’ Dialogue is a platform of African and European mayors working together to deliver innovative and practical solutions for human mobility in and between their cities. The Dialogue aspires to a new and more equal model of cooperation between Africa and Europe, focusing on the needs of all urban residents, including migrants, and their contribution to our economies and societies.
As a city led initiative the Dialogue offers practical approaches for cities and their residents to seize the opportunities of human mobility, develop new skills, fill labour market gaps and thus contribute to inclusive and sustainable urban development.
The Dialogue’s work is rooted in international commitments, including the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, the Paris Agreement, and the Global Compact on Migration.
How does the project work?
Mayors across Africa and Europe are working together in a partnership of equals to develop, test and scale innovative solutions for sustainable urban futures. They are creating concrete city led initiatives and meaningful partnerships: for example, the cities of Freetown and Milan are partnering to develop skills and investment opportunities in their fashion and textiles industries; the cities of Dakar and Barcelona are working with Senegalese diasporas on job creation schemes targeting young migrants and fishermen who facilitate out-migration from Dakar. Other cities are exploring innovative financing to support better delivery of services to all residents. Grounded in the practical needs of their residents, these mayors offer fresh perspectives and approaches that can inspire policy and practice within and across countries and regions.
Who are the target groups?
The Mayors’ Dialogue is led by cities, for cities. Participating cities currently include Milan, Freetown, Accra, Agadez, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bologna, Bristol, Dakar, Durban, Entebbe, Grenoble, Helsinki, Kampala, Kanifing, Kigali, Lisbon, Mannheim, Maputo, Montpellier, Monrovia, Paris, Tunis and Zürich.
Who organizes and supports the project?
The Mayors’ Dialogue was established in early 2020, on the initiative of Mayor Aki-Sawyerr (Freetown) and Mayor Sala (Milan). The number of participating cities is not static but may evolve and expand according to cities’ needs and priorities. The Dialogue is supported by a core group of partners: ODI, the Mayors Migration Council (MMC), Robert Bosch Stiftung, the Open Society Foundations (OSF) and the IKEA Foundation.