16th CODATU CONFERENCE 27.03.2015

The 16^th Conference of CODATU (Cooperation for Urban Mobility in the Developing World) was held from the 2^nd to the 5^th of February 2015, in Istanbul (Turkey). CODATU is a research oriented NGO which organizes a Conference every 2 years and, after the Conference in Addis-Ababa (Ethiopia) in which 500 persons participated, CODATU decided to hold its 16^th Conference in Istanbul.

The title of the Conference was “Climate Change, Air Quality and Energy Challenges: the Role of Urban Transport Policies and Countermeasures in Developing Countries and Emerging Economies.”

CODATU Conference is mainly scientific but local leaders have played an increasing role in organizing the event. With partners such as Cités Unies France, Greater Bordeaux, Greater Lyon, Greater Nantes, Region Iles-de-France, Region Rhone-Alps, Clermont-Ferrand Municipality, Grenoble Municipality and Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, CODATU has decided to give more and more importance to sessions with local leaders.

Convinced that CODATU and UCLG-MEWA are pursuing a common objective in promoting sustainable development, we decided to join forces with CODATU and to partner the Conference. Due to this agreement UCLG-MEWA members were able to access a broad range of knowledge on urban transportation.

In addition, UCLG-MEWA organized a side event on the second day of the Conference to strengthen Franco-Turkish Decentralised Cooperation in cooperation with CODATU, Union of Municipalities of Turkey (UMT) and Cites Unis France (CUF). The meeting was co-chaired by Gültan Kışanak, Co-President of UCLG-MEWA and Mayor of the Metropolitan Municipality of Diyarbakır and Roland Ries, Mayor of Strasbourg and President of Cites Unis France (CUF). Participants from both countries shared information about their ongoing activities and their respective experiences. Financial partners such as the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Delegation of the European Union in Turkey presented new opportunities and several proposals of cooperation, mainly in the field of transportation.

The next opportunity to continue exchanges between Turkish and French municipalities will be the World Summit on Climate and Territories to be held in Lyon (1-2 July 2015) and the 21^st Conference of the Parties (COP21) to be held in Paris (30 November to 11 December).

For more information about Franco-Turkish cooperation please contact Mr. Adrien LICHA: a.licha@uclg-mewa.org

For more information about UCLG-MEWA activities on climate change please contact Ms. Sümeyye SARAL: s.saral@uclg-mewa.org

Please click the link below for the report of the meeting.