Waiguru elected to Executive Bureau of world’s largest forum of regional governments
Council of Governor’s Chair Anne Waiguru has been elected to the executive bureau of world’s largest organization of regional governments in the world.
Waiguru was elected as a member of the Executive Bureau of ORU Fogar at the elections held on Monday during the Annual General Assembly.
The position drew interest from many regions and sub-national governments in Europe, Latin American, Africa and Asia.
The role of the Executive Bureau is to manage the activities of the organization with the support of the Secretary General.
ORU Fogar/United Regions Organization is an international organization which aims to bring together regions from all over the world and represents them before other international organizations in order to boost a global policy of balanced development and territorial cohesion with its headquarter in Barcelona, Spain.
ORU Fogar draws its membership from Regional Governments in Europe, Latin American, Africa and Asia. The Council of Governors has been a member of ORU Fogar since 2014.
During the elections Rachid El Abdi, President of the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra Regional Council (Morocco), was elected as ORU Fogar’s President. Ahmed Youssouph Bengelloune from Kaolack, Senegal; Karl-Heinz Lamberts, President of European Committee of Regions; Juan Luis Mansur, Governor of the province of San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina; and Marcelo Carrasco the president of the National Association of Regional Councilors of Chile (ANCORE) were elected as Vice Presidents of ORU Fogar.
ORU Fogar’s founding objectives include to: raise the voice of regions and sub-national governments in international decisions; defend a new global governance where regions have a relevant role in encouraging the participation of regional governments in the creation of new policies; work for regions in order for national governments to take into account the regional dimension and cultural diversity, through the promotion of competitiveness sustainable development.
Earlier, ORU Fogar held executive bureau to review the activities of the organization for the past one year.
In his remarks, President of ORU Fogar Rachid El Abdi noted the rising strength of the network and the rising presence of ORU Fogar in the global agenda.
He emphasized that driven by its founding mission, ORU Fogar must be the voice of Regions and therefore must represent the interest of devolved governments.
El Abdi stressed on the need for the regions to remain in solidarity in the wake of the rising geopolitics, climate change and disasters such as the recent Covid-19 which have greatly impacted economic development.
In her remarks during the General Assembly, Governor Waiguru lauded the various programmes implemented by the organization and called for enhanced partnership between regions particularly in the areas of food security, climate change and community empowerment.
She encouraged regional and sub-national governments to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive by developing and implementing policies that encourage entrepreneurship, investment, and job creation.
The Chair noted that, as stewards of the local environment, Regional and sub-national governments need to develop policies that protect natural resources, promote clean energy initiatives, build community resilience and mitigate the impact of climate change.
