In light of increasing budget cuts to development cooperation across many countries, the CIB working group convened its quarterly online meeting to reflect on how these changes are impacting the international programs of local and regional governments and their associations. The meeting served as a timely opportunity for members to share experiences, identify strategies for adaptation, and discuss new avenues for sustaining their work amid financial constraints. In addition, the meeting aimed to gather input for the draft agenda of the upcoming CIB Annual Meeting 2025 in Tunis, ensuring that the most urgent challenges and opportunities are addressed in a collaborative and forward-looking manner.
During the meeting, two opening presentations set the tone for the discussion. Hemanthi Goonasekera, CEO of the Federation of Sri Lankan Local Government Authorities, illustrated the abrupt impact of donor withdrawals on programming in Sri Lanka, where an ambitious initiative focused on civil society engagement and anti-corruption came to a sudden halt, putting a significant strain on the operations of organizations. She highlighted efforts to explore alternative funding sources—domestic, corporate, and philanthropic—to help bridge the gap left by these withdrawals, and proposed doing so collectively by presenting ourselves as a group under the CIB umbrella. Pieter Jeroense, Director of VNG International, reflected on how his organization has responded to significant budget cuts and shifting priorities in the Netherlands. He emphasized the importance of revisiting and reframing the narrative without losing sight of core values and mission. VNG International revised its messaging to show how strong local governance supports emerging national policy priorities—such as trade, migration prevention, and stability—which are gaining prominence not only in the Netherlands but in many other countries as well.
The open floor discussion that followed revealed a strong sense of shared concern, but also clear commitment to adapting strategically. For instance, Boris Tonhauser, Director of PLATFORMA, and Octavi de la Varga, Strategic International Project Advisor at Diputació de Barcelona, emphasized the importance of staying grounded in the core mission of supporting local governance. At the same time, they acknowledged the need to be adaptable—in how narratives are framed, how engagement with the evolving donor agenda is managed, and how evolving major programme facilities and funding mechanisms, such as the EU’s Global Gateway, are navigated.
Several participants offered insights on how CIB members can adapt to the current funding and political climate. Sara Hoeflich, Assistant Secretary-General of UCLG, pointed out that the donor landscape is becoming increasingly narrow, pushing associations to actively explore new and alternative sources of funding. She emphasized, however, that while financial flexibility is important, maintaining a strong political strategy remains just as critical. Associations must find the right balance between managing externally funded projects and upholding their political voice and mandate. Najat Zarrouk, Director of the African Local Government Academy (ALGA), added that better coordination is urgently needed—both to reduce overlap and to help members complement each other’s work more effectively. Improved collaboration, she noted, could also help pool resources and increase collective impact. Eva Baños de Guisasola, Senior Advisor at PLATFORMA, encouraged participants to use the upcoming review of SDG 17 at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) as a strategic moment to align positions and strengthen joint advocacy. She highlighted the value of drawing from the 15–20 case examples gathered in UCLG’s ongoing review, framing them as a useful reference point for promoting a shared narrative of partnership and mutual support among local government actors.
The CIB annual meeting in Tunis, June 17 & 18 2025, will be an important opportunity to continue this crucial conversation and join forces in response to today’s challenges. The meeting will not only allow for deeper strategic alignment but will also equip members with concrete and actionable tools to strengthen their work in a changing donor landscape. In the run-up to the event, members will be actively consulted to ensure the agenda reflects shared priorities and fosters meaningful collaboration moving forward.
Find more information on the CIB annual meeting here.