Together with experts from Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean countries, the Acting Secretary General of the Congress, Andreas Kiefer, participated in a webinar organised by the Organization of American States (OAS), the Forum of Federations, and the University of Kent, on 21 September 2020. The webinar, titled “Subnational Governments and their Growing Pivotal Role in a Covid-19 Scenario in Latin America and the Caribbean”, explored the dynamics and practices of subnational and local governments in effectively responding to the challenges facing Latin America and the Caribbean as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, drawing on country examples from the Americas and Europe.
“The pandemic has not only put at risk human lives, but also the functioning of societies, democratic institutions and mechanisms of governance at local and regional level, including re-centralisation of local competences,” declared Mr. Kiefer. He addressed the effects of the crisis on multilevel governance, and finding the right balance between efficiency and effectivity in fighting the pandemic.
“In the cases where the local and regional authorities were included from the very beginning in national and regional task forces, the quality of the response was better and more accepted at local and regional levels,” stated Mr. Kiefer, underlining the importance of local government in the fight against the pandemic for tailor made responses adapted to the needs of the regions, embedded in national strategies.
Mr. Kiefer outlined the role of the Congress, and how it acts as a forum for innovation and platform to exchange good practices between the local and regional elected officials and as an institutional platform within the Council of Europe submitting recommendations to the Committee of Ministers. He referred to the debates about the Covid-19 Pandemic in the recent Committee Meetings of the Congress. The Congress has also put in place an online hub where the good practices and responses against the Covid-19 pandemic can be shared between the local and regional authorities and the institutions and serve as a source of inspirations for national, regional and local governments.
