Brussels, Belgium – From 8 to 10 December, local and regional leaders from across the globe gathered in Brussels for the 9th edition of the Cities and Regions for International Partnerships Forum, co-organised by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the European Commission – DG INTPA. The Forum highlighted the essential contribution of local and regional authorities to the implementation of the European Union’s Global Gateway Strategy, with a strong focus on aligning EU investments with community needs and sustainable development objectives.
Held under the title “Localising Global Gateway”, the 2025 edition of the Forum underscored the importance of territorial approaches in a global context marked by increasing geopolitical competition and slow progress in achieving global development agendas. Discussions emphasised the relevance of the Global Gateway’s 360-degree approach, as well as the key role played by local and regional authorities in strengthening the Team Europe approach and accelerating the localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Within this framework, ALDA supported the participation of Mr Leonid Boaghi, Mayor of Sireți village (Republic of Moldova). Sireți Municipality has been an ALDA member since 2020, and the Mayor’s presence at a high-level international forum confirmed the local community’s commitment to actively engaging in European and international cooperation processes.
Local authorities are indispensable actors in translating the Global Gateway Strategy into concrete, citizen-centred results on the ground
ALDA continues to play a key role in facilitating dialogue between local communities and European institutions, while also supporting its members in accessing European funding opportunities and international partnerships. Participation in forums of this scale enables local leaders to strengthen their strategic positioning within EU cooperation frameworks and to engage directly with institutional and territorial partners.
Throughout the Forum, bilateral meetings and exchanges took place with representatives of cities and regions from the European Union, as well as from partner countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the EU neighbourhood. Discussions focused on joint initiatives, decentralised cooperation, institutional partnerships and projects eligible for European funding, laying the groundwork for future collaboration.
For local communities in the Republic of Moldova, including Sireți, such participation is not symbolic. It represents a concrete step towards strengthening administrative capacity, improving the preparation and submission of EU-funded project proposals, and attracting investments that support sustainable local development.
The next phase will focus on consolidating partnerships, identifying relevant funding lines, and developing project proposals, ensuring that opportunities discussed at European level are translated into tangible benefits for citizens.
Organised on a biennial basis, the Cities and Regions for International Partnerships Forum remains the leading global event dedicated to decentralised international cooperation, offering a unique space for political dialogue, exchange of good practices, networking and partnership-building, with the local perspective at the heart of EU development and cooperation policies.
