In 2014 the Committee began a relation of collaboration with the Local government and decentralization Unit of UN-HABITAT in diverse issues related to the use new technologies for achieving local sustainable development. UN-Habitat was one of the partnes in the organization of the Committee meeting held in November 2014 in Bilbao. From the Committee we believe there are diverse fields of collabortation betwwen both organizations specially those related to “SMART” Municipal Management.

In the framework of this collaboration, the Committee Secretariat took part in the workshop “SMART Technologies for municipal sustainability” held in June 2014 in Santander and that gave as a result the launch of the “Uraía Platform“. Since them the Committee has been an active partner of the Uraía Platform.

The Uraía Platform was thus created as a space for exchange between local governments and their partners about the possibilities offered today with the introduction of SMART technologies in local public management. Uraía facilitates peer-to-peer learning, fosters transfer and adaptation of SMART solutions, and encourages experimentation.


AREAS OF ACTION:

The Uraía Platform works on the use of SMART technologies in three specific aspects of city management:

Municipal finances: How can local governments increase local revenue? Uraía explores SMART solutions that help: expanding local taxation, tackling informality, improving legislation and procedures.

Management of public services and infrastructure: How can local governments make public services more efficient? Uraía explores SMART solutions that help reducing costs and saving energy in public lighting, water supply, waste management or mobility.

Transparency and accountability: How can local governments ensure access to data, increase channels for citizen participation and dialogue, and facilitate monitoring over public expenditures? Uraía explores SMART solutions such as Open Data or Participatory Budgeting.


MAIN ACTIVITIES:

  • Knowledge exchange
  • Capacity building
  • Support project development

More information: www.uraia.org


Activities developed:


2014: Participation in the workshop “SMART Technologies for municipal sustainability” held in June 2014 in Santander and that gave as a result the launch of the “Uraía Platform“.

2015:

  • Collaboration in the organization of the first capacity building activity of the Uraía Platform held on 29-30 June 2015 in Oslo, Norway, on “Public-Private Partnerships Negotiation for SMART City Management”.
  • Collaboration in the elaboration of the publication on “Public-Private Partnerships for SMART City Management. Recommendations for local governments to prepare and implement SMART PPPs”

2016:

  • Collaboration in the organization of the capacity building activity of the Uraía Platform held on 19-20 April 2017 in Nicosia, Cyprus, on “The impact of SMART technologies in the municipal budget: tax recovery and energy savings for better public services”.
  • Collaboration in the elaboration of the publication on “The impact of SMART technologies in the municipal budget: increase revenue and reduce expenses for better public services”. This report is the result of the discussions in Nicosia, Cyprus.

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