UCLG-MEWA is enduring its preparations for the Executive Bureau Meeting to be held in Niğde, Türkiye on April 20-21, 2026. The meeting, which will bring together local and regional leaders from 17 countries, will address themes of critical importance at the regional and global levels. The preparation and coordination process for the meeting officially began with the signing of the Host City Agreement in Niğde. The signing ceremony was attended by Emrah Özdemir, Mayor of Niğde , Ali Murat Duman,UCLG-MEWA Deputy Secretary General and Yehia Ibrahim, UCLG-MEWA General Coordinator.
A Shared Vision from Local to Global
UCLG-MEWA Deputy Secretary General Ali Murat Duman highlighted UCLG-MEWA’s role in connecting local governments with the global agenda, emphasizing that Niğde is an important stakeholder for the organization. “As an organization that converts local successes into global policy arenas, we continue to strengthen cooperation in our region. This meeting, to be held in Niğde, will create an important visibility and interaction area for both the host city and our region,” he declared.
Main Agenda: Shared Future, Shared Responsibility
The main agenda of the meeting will include water management, climate change, and sustainability issues, which are of particular interest to the Middle East and West Asia. Common challenges faced by local governments will be addressed within the framework of innovative and participatory approaches. Strategic Topics and Cooperation
The following topics will be highlighted at the UCLG-MEWA Board Meeting to be held in Niğde:
- Innovative urbanism approaches and smart city applications
- Smart water management and combating water stress
- Climate change, drought, and green transformation
- Building disaster-resilient cities
- Smart transportation systems
- Strengthening local diplomacy and inter-municipal cooperation
- Transforming local capacity into global impact
Through this meeting in Niğde, UCLG-MEWA aims to strengthen regional solidarity and further reinforce the role of local governments in the global agenda.
