Ilsur Metshin Re-elected as President of the Eurasian Branch of UCLG
Voting took place at the World Urban Forum in Cairo.
Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin has been re-elected as President of the Eurasian Branch of the global organization "United Cities and Local Governments" (UCLG). The decision was made today during the General Assembly and Council meeting of the UCLG-Eurasia International Association, held at the World Urban Forum in Cairo. The event brought together over 80 representatives of municipal authorities from regions of Russia and other countries. The meeting addressed statutory issues and included thematic discussions with participation from partner cities.
According to the meeting’s moderator, Chairman of the Ulyanovsk City Duma Ilya Nozhechkin, despite the challenging political climate, Ilsur Metshin continues to attract new members to the organization’s regional branch while in office.
“It is he who ensures that the voice of UCLG-Eurasia is heard clearly within the organization. His constructive proposals and ideas resonate with local authorities across Eurasia and are always incorporated into joint efforts aimed at developing cities and building a sustainable future”, said Ilya Nozhechkin.
The Mayor of the capital of Tatarstan has held the position of President of the Eurasian Regional Branch of UCLG since 2006. This year marks his seventh re-election; the previous re-election took place in 2021 during the 8th Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Eurasia. Following his re-election, Ilsur Metshin thanked everyone for their trust and expressed confidence in the continued joint efforts to develop and strengthen the organization.
Addressing the participants of the meeting, Ilsur Metshin recalled that on October 22–24, Kazan hosted the BRICS Summit, which brought together delegations from 36 countries, including 24 heads of state. The summit was also attended by leaders of six international organizations, among them UN Secretary-General António Guterres. One of the key topics of the dialogue was UN reform, specifically the adaptation of its structure to the realities of the 21st century.
“I personally met with the Secretary-General, and he assured me that in the reformed structure of the UN, there will be a place for local and regional authorities, who will be officially represented at the negotiation table and will be able to contribute to shaping the global agenda,” said the Mayor.
The summit marked a historic milestone for the union in terms of quantitative growth. As a result, 13 countries received the status of BRICS partner states. “The event proved that the BRICS countries and their strategically important partners represent a strong alliance of nations with enormous potential—economic, political, cultural, and humanitarian,” the mayor added.
According to the meeting’s moderator, Chairman of the Ulyanovsk City Duma Ilya Nozhechkin, despite the challenging political climate, Ilsur Metshin continues to attract new members to the organization’s regional branch while in office.
“It is he who ensures that the voice of UCLG-Eurasia is heard clearly within the organization. His constructive proposals and ideas resonate with local authorities across Eurasia and are always incorporated into joint efforts aimed at developing cities and building a sustainable future”, said Ilya Nozhechkin.
The Mayor of the capital of Tatarstan has held the position of President of the Eurasian Regional Branch of UCLG since 2006. This year marks his seventh re-election; the previous re-election took place in 2021 during the 8th Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Eurasia. Following his re-election, Ilsur Metshin thanked everyone for their trust and expressed confidence in the continued joint efforts to develop and strengthen the organization.
Addressing the participants of the meeting, Ilsur Metshin recalled that on October 22–24, Kazan hosted the BRICS Summit, which brought together delegations from 36 countries, including 24 heads of state. The summit was also attended by leaders of six international organizations, among them UN Secretary-General António Guterres. One of the key topics of the dialogue was UN reform, specifically the adaptation of its structure to the realities of the 21st century.
“I personally met with the Secretary-General, and he assured me that in the reformed structure of the UN, there will be a place for local and regional authorities, who will be officially represented at the negotiation table and will be able to contribute to shaping the global agenda,” said the Mayor.
The summit marked a historic milestone for the union in terms of quantitative growth. As a result, 13 countries received the status of BRICS partner states. “The event proved that the BRICS countries and their strategically important partners represent a strong alliance of nations with enormous potential—economic, political, cultural, and humanitarian,” the mayor added.
Participants of the meeting were shown a video about the Summit in Kazan. “Friends, it is our collective responsibility to contribute to strengthening the world order, to take responsibility for sustainable development and global security. We, as municipal authorities, can also make a significant contribution!” Ilsur Metshin addressed those present.
The topic of participation in the activities of the BRICS+ Association of Cities and Municipalities was further elaborated on by the Secretary-General of the organization and Head of the Department for International and Intermunicipal Relations of the Kazan City Council, Arseny Karyakin. The idea of active participation in the association’s work was supported as a result.
New members of the Eurasian Branch of UCLG were introduced at the meeting: the cities of Agryz and Innopolis from the Republic of Tatarstan.
The meeting also reviewed the activity report of UCLG-Eurasia over the past three years, along with the report of the audit commission. The participants approved the plan for statutory and working events for 2025.
Deputy Mayor of Kazan Evgenia Lodvigova served as moderator of the thematic discussions of partner cities. The participants were welcomed by UCLG Secretary-General Emilia Saiz. Successful experiences were shared by Minister of the Moscow Government and Head of the Department for External Economic and International Relations Sergey Cheremin, Vice Mayor of Bishkek Viktoria Mozgacheva, Deputy Mayor of Chisinau Ilie Cheban, and others. The meeting was attended by members of the All-Russian Association for the Development of Local Self-Government, which unites 89 regional organizations—Councils of Municipalities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.
It is worth noting that the World Urban Forum is established by the United Nations and is held every two years. Its primary focus is the study of urbanization and its impact on communities and the economies of cities. The forum in Egypt is taking place from November 4 to 8, gathering over 37,000 participants from 182 countries, making it the largest World Urban Forum in history.
The global organization "United Cities and Local Governments" is a worldwide network uniting 240,000 cities and regions from 140 countries. UCLG consists of seven regional branches. One of the largest – UCLG-Eurasia – represents the interests of local authorities in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The headquarters of the UCLG-Eurasia is located in Kazan.
The topic of participation in the activities of the BRICS+ Association of Cities and Municipalities was further elaborated on by the Secretary-General of the organization and Head of the Department for International and Intermunicipal Relations of the Kazan City Council, Arseny Karyakin. The idea of active participation in the association’s work was supported as a result.
New members of the Eurasian Branch of UCLG were introduced at the meeting: the cities of Agryz and Innopolis from the Republic of Tatarstan.
The meeting also reviewed the activity report of UCLG-Eurasia over the past three years, along with the report of the audit commission. The participants approved the plan for statutory and working events for 2025.
Deputy Mayor of Kazan Evgenia Lodvigova served as moderator of the thematic discussions of partner cities. The participants were welcomed by UCLG Secretary-General Emilia Saiz. Successful experiences were shared by Minister of the Moscow Government and Head of the Department for External Economic and International Relations Sergey Cheremin, Vice Mayor of Bishkek Viktoria Mozgacheva, Deputy Mayor of Chisinau Ilie Cheban, and others. The meeting was attended by members of the All-Russian Association for the Development of Local Self-Government, which unites 89 regional organizations—Councils of Municipalities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.
It is worth noting that the World Urban Forum is established by the United Nations and is held every two years. Its primary focus is the study of urbanization and its impact on communities and the economies of cities. The forum in Egypt is taking place from November 4 to 8, gathering over 37,000 participants from 182 countries, making it the largest World Urban Forum in history.
The global organization "United Cities and Local Governments" is a worldwide network uniting 240,000 cities and regions from 140 countries. UCLG consists of seven regional branches. One of the largest – UCLG-Eurasia – represents the interests of local authorities in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The headquarters of the UCLG-Eurasia is located in Kazan.