Devex and Mayors Migration Council Launch New Partnership to Showcase Local Solutions to Major Global Development Challenges

The Mayors Migration Council (MMC) is proud to announce its collaboration with Devex in a new partnership called Roots of Change.

About the Partnership

There is a major focus right now on how to change the traditional aid paradigm and instead, deploy local-first solutions to big global development challenges. The Roots of Change series delves into the localization agenda, examining what works and what doesn’t, while elevating the voices of local leaders.

This partnership is part of the Mayors Migration Council’s continued commitment to reshaping global development and migration policy by empowering local leaders and communities.

The Local Case for Migration Solutions

As part of this series, on March 27th, Devex published a piece, The Local Case for Migration Solutions, which explores the impact of climate-induced migration on cities across the globe, and the local-first solutions mayors are putting in place. The piece features a conversation with Mayors Migration Council Executive Director Vittoria Zanuso and Beira, Mozambique Mayor Albano Carige who emphasize the need for increased investment in local governments to address global challenges.

Here are some key excerpts:

• Vittoria Zanuso discusses how the climate crisis is already impacting cities across the globe: “Climate migration is already the new normal. And this is true for cities like Maputo, Mozambique, which could grow by 1.5 million people just because of climate. But it’s also true for cities like Freetown in Sierra Leone, where the population might double in size within 10 years, partly because of internal migration due to climate. And this is true for cities like eThekwini in South Africa, where a lot of climate migrants are already moving to and within the city. And they’re settling in informal settlements that are already prone to climate risks.”
• Vittoria Zanuso discusses the resources cities need to respond to immense pressure from climate-related migration and displacement and the challenges they face in procuring those resources: “Only 10% of global climate finance is reaching cities. Cities are facing systemic barriers to accessing the finance they need … Many national governments are limiting local governments’ ability to access loans or other financing, and if they can, it’s often very restricted. And internationally, most multilateral banks and financing systems require sovereign level approvals.”
• Mayor Carige discusses Beira’s project funded by the Global Cities Fund after a March, 2019 cyclone severely damaged the city’s infrastructure: “I’m very deeply thankful for having received this contribution for my city of Beira. The first step was to rehabilitate the local market in Praia Nova which was destroyed by the cyclone…We are also going to relocate 100 families from Praia Nova to new homes in a safer area. In the current pilot phase, we are moving 15 families. They will receive new, safe homes with a piece of land to grow what they need. The Global Cities Fund showed us what is possible, but to move all 100 families we need more funding.”
  

City Partnerships for Better Migration and Refugee Policies and Practices

On August 2, 2024, Devex published its second installment in this series, a video titled City to City Partnerships for Migration and Refugee Support, which features interviews with both Mayor Ron Nirenberg of San Antonio and Mayor Yousef Al Shawarbeh of Amman.

In the video, the two leaders discuss how cities can effectively support refugees and migrants amidst rising displacement due to climate change and conflict. In their interviews, which were facilitated by the Mayors Migration Council in partnership with Devex, Nirenberg and Al Shawarbeh explore the growing role of mayors in addressing these challenges. As cities worldwide grapple with high levels of displacement and migration, the interviews highlight how partnerships are crucial for sharing best practices and solutions.

A significant milestone in these mayors’ partnership was establishing the “Friendship City” agreement signed between San Antonio and Amman. This agreement aims to enhance economic and cultural ties while fostering knowledge-sharing. In the Devex interview, Mayor Nirenberg emphasized the importance of building personal relationships to achieve global peace, reflecting the Mayors Migration Council’s belief that grassroots connections are vital for effective refugee and migrant support. The discussion underscores the need for coordinated efforts at all levels to assist both displaced people and the cities hosting them.

Watch and share the interviews here:

What’s Next

Over the coming months, MMC and Devex are working together to showcase additional local-first solutions and inspiring stories of resilience and innovation from cities around the world.

Make sure to stay tuned to this space, follow us on X and LinkedIn, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to our email newsletter to stay up to date on the impactful work we are doing with mayors around the world to accelerate ambitious global action on migration and displacement.