Partnership conference 2025 between municipalities from Germany and Sub-Saharan Africa

Arrival and socialising

From 3 pm – Check in at hotels

6 pm – Visit to the Mathematikum, dinner and socialising

Official opening and technical introduction

From 9 am – Arrival and registration

10 am – Official opening and welcome

• Frank-Tilo Becher, Mayor of the City of Giessen, and Blasius Goraseb, Mayor of the City of Swakopmund, Namibia
• Anita Schneider, District Administrator of the County of Giessen, and Innocent Bakuluwgelo Ssekiziyivu, Mayor of the City of Mubende, Uganda
• Jochen Steinhilber, Director General, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany

10:40 am – Welcome by the Moderation Team and presentation of the programme schedule and objectives – Introduction to the day

11 am – Keynote Address: Local governance and decentralized cooperation in the context of a changing geopolitical landscape

• Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) Africa

11:30 am – High-level panel discussion: German-African municipal partnerships: status quo and challenges

• Dr. Udo Bullmann, Hessian Member of the European Parliament from Giessen, representative on the Committee on International Development, Chairman of the Delegation for Relations with South Africa
• Jochen Steinhilber, Director General, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
• Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General, UCLG Africa
• Sara Hoeflich, Deputy Secretary General, UCLG World
• Anita Schneider, County President, County of Giessen and Vice President German Association of Counties
• Clemencia Hanases, Deputy Mayor, City of Windhoek, Namibia (tbc)
• Adjoua Martine Kouadio, subprefect, Assie-Koumassi, Côte d'Ivoire

1:15 pm – Lunch and informal meeting time

2:30 pm – Interactive getting-to-know-you session for delegates

4:15 pm – Open Space: current status of municipal partnerships

at the same time – Round Table of Municipal Political Leaders

• Round Table of Mayors, County Presidents, District Administrators and
  Councillors

5:45 pm – Day 1 conclusio

• Review and reflection on outcomes

7 pm – Dinner at heyligenstaedt restaurant

Common values and objectives, and good practice in municipal partnerships

From 8:30 am – Arrival and registration

9:30 am – Welcome by Ingrid Arenz, Executive Manager of Engagement Global

9:45 am – Start of the day and review of day 1

10:30 am – Parallel small group workshops: We learn from each other in municipal partnerships (Round 1)

1. Waste Management
2. Solar energy as a key to health, education and urban development
3. Using nature to combat climate change: How local authorities can work together to become more resilient
4. Water connects – shaping local partnerships together
5. Digital approaches to mobility concepts and urban planning
6. Promoting fair trade and fair procurement as a topic in municipal partnerships (tbc)

12 pm – Lunch and informal meeting time

1:30 pm – Parallel small group workshops: We act together in municipal partnerships (Round 2)

1. Local reporting on the SDGs – How Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) can shape sustainable development and partnerships (tbc)
2. Empowerment of women at the local level. – Two partnerships on how to promote self-determined work and education opportunities.
3. Shaping municipal partnerships together and on an equal footing (tbc)
4. Cooperation with the private sector
5. Integration of refugees: Migration on our doorstep – local innovations and global dialogue
6. Municipal finances

3:30 pm – Regional meetings of the partnerships

• Networking and exchange between partnerships by region

5:00 pm – Day 2 conclusion

• Review and reflection on outcomes

7:45 pm – Evening reception at Giessen Town Hall with dinner and social programme

From ideas to realisation

From 8:30 am – Arrival and registration

9:30 am – Start of the day and review of Day 2

10:00 am – Market of Opportunities

• Advice and information stands

11:45 am – Summary and review of the three conference days

12:15 pm – Concluding remarks: Future prospects – Agenda 2030 and municipal partnerships

12:45 pm – Farewell

• Engagement Global/Service Agency Communities in One World

1 pm – Lunch and informal meetings followed by individual departures